The White Rabbit
by TheSavageMan100
Summary: Set after the events of the movie, based on The Dark Knight. A year after thwarting Bellwether's scheme to take over Zootopia, the city finds itself spiraling into disaster again with the rise of the criminal mastermind known as the Joker. Now it's up to Judy, Nick, and their new ally, District Attorney Alicia Garnet, to save the city.
1. Bank Robbery

**Author's Note:  
** _It's been an eventful Halloween and a long night with my aunt at her birthday party, but I'm back! TheSavageMan100 has returned again, and starting today, I'm putting my Fairy Tail Parodies on hold for a while. From yours truly, the creator of_ _ **Sonic Injustice: Gods Among Mobians**_ _(and my first crossover story), comes the first chapter of_ _ **The White Rabbit,**_ _an imaginative sequel to one of my most favorite films this year. You guessed it, it's Zootopia!_

 _As you are well aware,_ _ **Zootopia**_ _is Disney's latest animated film, a major blockbuster, and by far the highest-rated film according to Rotten Tomatoes. When I first watched the film, I can't help but love it; I felt inspired by the courage, the adventure, the heartwarming, the friendship and hostiles between species, the comedy, the hilarity, not to mention a message to one of the chief complaints some people had about a Disney movie during Chief Bogo's talk with Judy: "Life isn't some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true." As well as making fun of Frozen, saying, "So, let it go." Crowning moment of funny! Now it's time for the summary…_

 _A year after putting an end to Dawn Bellwether's scheme to turn predators against prey in order to secure a spot as the mayor of Zootopia, Judy Hopps is dubbed the public face of the Zootopia Police Department alongside her partner-in-crime Nick Wilde, for their role in stopping the anti-predator regime. The two heroes form an alliance with Alicia Garnet, Zootopia's new district attorney and Judy's prodigious childhood friend from Bunnyburrow, on their mission to put an end to organized crime throughout the city. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon, the three find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Zootopia into anarchy and forces Judy closer to crossing the line between a law-abiding officer and a thrill-seeking vigilante. Our fluffy cop is forced to make a difficult choice, if that's what it takes to stop the Joker, which will impact her career and her life— forever._

 _And by the way, Judy is_ _ **NOT**_ _gonna be Batman. She's just gonna be… Judy. Oh, and expect some Judy X Nick scenes as the story progresses!_

 **DISCLAIMER:** All rights belong to Disney, Warner Bros., and DC Comics. Please support the official release.

* * *

 **Wednesday April 24  
7:59 AM**

The great city of Zootopia rose from the landscape, steel and glass columns fashioned from various wildlife ecosystems symbolizing the height of animal's achievement. In between ran ribbons of asphalt, where millions of souls— co-existing predator and prey— walked, jogged, prowled, or drove to their livelihoods. The city hummed to a frequency, and every law-abiding citizen harmonized with it. The daily clockwork of Zootopia was a marvel to anyone who took it upon themselves to witness it. And true to its motto, " _Anyone can be anything,_ " the animals were free to have jobs and make livings as they please, depending on the status of their species.

On the twenty-sixth floor of an abandoned office at Savanna Central, a window shattered.

An anthropomorphic crocodile, known only to his accomplices as Dopey, recoiled along with his air cannon. Turning to his hedgehog partner, another assigned alias named Happy, he grabbed a grappling hook, loaded it into his cannon, and fired it across the street onto the roof of the _Savanna Central Bank._ Loading up their duffel bag, he secured it on the wire and sent it across, before the two slid along the dizzying length themselves.

Both animals wore masks in the shape of a clown's face.

Over 250 feet below them, four blocks away, a third animal walked up to an SUV and hurriedly jumped inside, joining two others. Again, all three were each wearing clown masks, and had their own names: Bozo, Chuckles, and Grumpy. As they drove, they opened their own packs and checked their possessions; each received an automatic pistol and several clips of ammunition. In addition, Bozo carried a stock of ten grenades, which he meticulously counted out to himself over and over.

As Grumpy drove, he tried to make small talk to his comrades, "Alright, three of a kind. Let's do this!"

Chuckles responded, "Really? Only three guys for this job?"

Grumpy stated, "There's two on the roof. Every guy is an extra share. Five shares is plenty."

Chuckles corrected, " _Six_ shares. Don't forget the guy who planned it all out."

Grumpy snorted, "Yeah? He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice? I know why he earned his name, why they called him the Joker."

As they came within one block of the bank, Chuckles thought out loud, "Say, remember when that crazy stuff was going down with Mayor Bellwether a year ago, and the creepy lamb's got this weird Night Howler tech? I swear to God, she fires a pistol, preds go over-the-hills insane! Tigers chasing pigs, lions eating gazelles, and polar bears mauling caribous! And then there's this bunny cop, the cop who stopped Bellwether. Just a cute little bunny rabbit in the police force. She's the hero cop in this whole city. And she's not alone; she's got a shifty fox cop for a partner. A week ago, I saw the bitch tackle a rhino gangster off his cycle, and her fox friend whacked him in the head with a Piko Piko Hammer! I swear, it's a big whack, right there! You can even see the bunny and her boyfriend buy a Jumbo Pop in Jumbeaux's!" He added with a sigh, "Sometimes."

Grumpy retorted, "Man, you're probably just doped up that day. Everybody knows about Judy Hopps. She's the public face of the ZPD, but rumor has it that she's a rebel, takin' down crimes off-duty. She's one fluffy broad some guys were pissed at, though." He motioned towards the dent in the wall, "She thinks she's above the law or somethin'."

Within seconds, the three animals were in front of the bank. They did a last check on their weapons before quickly dashing inside.

* * *

Far above, Dopey and Happy stood on the roof of the bank, and began checking their equipment. Happy asked, "So, why do they call him the Joker?"

Dopey answered, "I hear he wears make-up. Y'know, to scare people."

* * *

As soon as he cleared the rotating doors, Grumpy fired his gun into the air. He screamed, " **ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY!** **HANDS UP, HEADS DOWN!** " Teller lines dispersed as the civilians dove for cover or the ground. Bankers and their clients flew out of their chairs and curled up in their cubicles. The three clowns moved from teller to teller, dragging them over the counter and giving them harsh demands. " **I SAID, HANDS UP, HEADS DOWN! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!** "

Bozo opened his bag and took out a grenade, then stooped down to a frightened monkey hiding behind a check writing station. Grabbing one of his hands, Bozo forced him to hold the small bomb. Placing the monkey's second hand on the grenade's trigger, Bozo proceeded to deftly yank the pin out, thus creating an efficient holding device; the slightest movement on the monkey's part would result in him releasing the trigger, and the grenade would blow. Bozo then proceeded to a female monkey cowering under the desk to the right, and repeated his ritual.

The hostages were rounded up. The traps and triggers were set. The robbery had commenced.

* * *

On the bank's roof, Dopey and Happy tapped into the bank's alarm system, anticipating their three partners to act. Their cue came when the silent alarm went off. Touching a button, Dopey indicated, "Here comes the silent alarm…" He began to kill it off. As he worked, he noticed something, "Huh? That's funny. It didn't call 911. It's trying to reach a private number."

Happy wondered, "Is it a problem?"

Dopey shook his head, "No, I'm done here—"

A muffled gunshot ended his sentence for him, and the crocodile slumped over with a silenced bullet through his skull. Happy grabbed both his and the deceased clown's duffel bags before running for the stairwell. " _One less share, more loot to spare,_ " he thought to himself.

Dopey yanked the door open and darted inside. Rushing a few floors down, he found the target: the giant vault, the steel veil between him and millions of dollars. With no time to waste, he frantically tore open his bag and produced a drill, fixed it to the door, and began rummaging for the locking mechanism. Suddenly, sparks erupted from the tool; the vault had been electrified. "What the hell…?" Shocked in both senses of the word, Dopey recoiled from the vault. How was he supposed to get in now?

* * *

In the main bank lobby, Bozo had just given a seventh lucky patron a grenade to hold close. He and his two immediate partners just had to stall for time, until Happy and Dopey came down with the bags of cash. Grumpy brandished his pistol to everyone in the lobby, and he yelled, "We're just making a withdrawal here! Obviously, we don't want you doing anything with your hands other than holding on for dear life!"

Chuckles, noticing a bank guard porcupine trying to cautiously edge his way into a standing position, ran over and proceeded to beat him to submission. He demanded, "On the ground! Stay on the ground! Nobody make a move, nobody! Stay down!"

As he hollered, Chuckles didn't see the bank manager, an elderly monkey, in the cubicle behind him. He was unaware that the banker slowly opened his desk drawer and removed a shotgun from it. Before Chuckles could react, he was blasted away, a window shattering in the process, before he collapsed to the ground, dead.

 **BANG!** The sound of a shotgun shell sent Bozo and Grumpy to the floor, both diving for the same check writing stations where the bank clients and tellers hid. The anonymous bank manager clicked his shotgun, and strutted forward into the lobby. **BANG!** He fired again, the pellets embedding themselves within the stand Bozo was behind, prompting the robber to scramble to the next stand. **BANG!** A third shot, and Bozo moved away again. **BANG!** Another shot, another stand. **BANG!** Keeping as low as possible while moving as fast as possible, Bozo kept moving and avoiding the onslaught of shotgun blasts until he reunited with his partner, Grumpy, behind the last check station.

The bank manager smiled triumphantly at the power he enjoyed, and the thrill of chasing the clowns down. He called out, "Do you have any idea who you're stealing from? You and your friends are so _dead._ "

Grumpy turned to Bozo, "How many shots? Is he out?"

Bozo pondered, counting his fingers, then nodded to his only ally in the room at the moment. Grumpy stood up, confidently ready to take down this obstacle.

 **BANG!** Grumpy collapsed, stunned at the oncoming lead he had been told not to expect. The bank manager reloaded… but he was out of ammo. He tried again, with only an empty click for his efforts. Hearing the foretelling click, Bozo stood up and fired a stream of bullets from the sub-machine gun in his paws, striking him between the legs. The monkey fell, struggling in vain to stay up. Bozo slowly lowered his pistol and stared at him.

Grumpy asked incredulously, "Where the _hell_ did you learn to count?" He was back on his feet, none too pleased with his cohort for getting a wounded shoulder. He ran off, eager to check on the vault team. They seemed to be taking awfully long. Bozo, pleased at the solitude he was having at the moment, strolled up and down the aisles, looking from cowering male to frightened female with only casual interest.

Grumpy staggered into the vault room, still reeling from the blast to his shoulder blade. When he came in, he saw Happy had removed his shoes, using them as makeshift gloves to move the vault dial. Yes, it was clumsy and awkward, but a master vault cracker was still equally a master in such situations. Seeing Grumpy enter, Happy informed him, "They wired this thing up with like, five thousand volts. What kind of bank does that?"

Grumpy answered, "This bank belongs to the Mob, the biggest crime family in Zootopia. It's a bank the guys running the show really don't want robbed. Some experts, they're probably stashing their loot here. The Joker probably knows it. That's why he's targeting this place. I guess he's as crazy as they say." Looking around, he remarked, "Hey, where's the alarm guy? Isn't he with you?"

Happy turned a few cranks, and the vault door popped open. He replied, "The boss told me when the guy was done, I should take him out. One less share, right?"

Grumpy looked up quickly, "Oh, funny... He told me something similar."

Happy's eyes widened from the covering of his mask, "He what?! No, don't—"

 **BANG!** Happy was shot in the head. Shoving the corpse aside, Grumpy ran in. Opening his bag, he began shoving as much money as humanly possible inside. A few trips downstairs later, five bags full of millions of dollars waited in the lobby, with Bozo and Grumpy piling them up to go.

Grumpy breathed, "Boy, that's a lotta money. If this Joker guy was so smart, he'd bring us a bigger car." He clicked his pistol, and Bozo turned around slowly to find it fixed against him. "I'm bettin' the Joker told you to kill me as soon as we loaded the cash, now, didn't he?"

The normally silent Bozo looked at his watch and casually remarked, "Oh, no, no, no. I kill the bus driver." He edged to his right, away from the main aisle of the lobby.

"Bus driver?" Grumpy took a step to his right into the main aisle. Bozo didn't reply, instead taking another step away. Grumpy, puzzled now, demanded, "What bus driver?"

The wall exploded behind him, and Grumpy turned in time to see the back compartment of a large school bus rush out and hit him in the face. Flying backwards, he collapsed to the floor. Bozo, pleased that his ride had come just in time, turned and grabbed the bags. The bank patrons all stared, shocked and wide-eyed, at the new hole in the wall of the bank.

The bus driver, again wearing a clown mask, leaped out of the back and also grabbed the rest of the bags. He called, "School's out, time to go!" Trying to remain sociable under the circumstances, he attempted to converse, "Cat's not getting up, is he?" He motioned to Grumpy. No response from Bozo. "That's a lotta money…" Again, only silence. "What happened to the rest of the guys?"

Bozo responded with a blast of machine gun fire, shutting up the jovial driver. Grabbing the last bag, he threw it in the back and started to get in, but was interrupted by a remark sputtered out by someone behind him.

"You think you're smart, huh?" Turning around, Bozo saw it was the injured bank manager who called him out. He began strutting over, listening to the rest of the monologue. "Well, the guy that hired you will just do the same thing." The old monkey began to chuckle mockingly, "You know, criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor… respect… Look at you!" His voice rose to a roar, "What do you believe in, huh?! **WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE—** " The bank manager never finished his sentence, as his mouth was slid with Bozo's tenth and final grenade.

Bozo leaned down very close to the monkey and whispered, "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you…"

He then lifted off his mask, and the bank manager saw a face. It was the face of a Eurasian golden jackal coated in white paint, with the eyes accented by black eye shadow. The fur on his head was dyed green, but most prominent was a bright red mouth, forced into an appalling permanent smile by huge Chelsea Grin scars. The face leaned in close, and finished his statement, " _…stranger._ "

The bank manager was startled by the horrific visage just revealed to him. The robber smiled a ghastly grin, and leapt towards the bus.

As the last surviving robber walked away, the bank manager took notice of the grenade in his mouth, then the thread which led from the pin. Following it, he traced it all the way to the clown, who clambered into the bus and gave one last smile back to the horrified patrons. The clown tied the long thread to one of the handles of the bags, closed the door, and jumped into the driver's seat.

And as the robber drove the bus away, and the pin pulled from the grenade, and right before the device exploded, the bank manager realized that he had just come face to face with the Joker.


	2. Bunnies Everywhere!

Night fell upon Zootopia, thus giving way to the occasional nighttime activities, where the buildings shined multiple lights like stars in the sky, and special events were hosted for any animal eager to be a part of the night shift. The peace-loving citizens harmonized with the night and became peaceful and just with its splendor. But like all things in the passage of time, the night was unpredictable to most. For decades, nighttime in Zootopia was a dangerous cesspool overrun with looters and thugs, for the safety and livelihoods of innocents were often compromised. However, the tables had turned since Judy Hopps joined the Zootopia Police Department and became a public hero and a watchful protector. Ironically, it was the criminals that now fear their own safety and livelihood.

For instance, Peter Moosebridge, a prominent moose reporter of the Zootopia News Network, was currently interviewing Quill Garcia, a hedgehog who had been elected as the new mayor of Zootopia two months after Bellwether's arrest and removal from office, thus dubbing him the diminutive sheep's successor.

" _Mayor Garcia, you were elected in a campaign a year ago to clean up Zootopia from all criminal activities. The question is, when are you going to make good on your promise?_ "

" _Well, Peter, I believe I already have. We could always rely on the best and bravest animals in the ZPD, such as Judy Hopps, the force's first rabbit officer who single-handedly cracked the case of the missing predators and exposed Bellwether's supremacist operations._ "

" _Is that so? I heard Miss Hopps was doing some good in the streets while taking her tour off-duty. At night, criminals are running scared. She would come in and swoop into an unsuspected thug when you least expect it._ "

The interview was recorded through a car radio in a seedy area of town. At that particular spot, a pirated movie-related exchange between small-time crook Duke Weaselton and a cat was about to occur. But when the would-be customer processed every word of the interview from the nearby radio, he immediately reconsidered the deal.

The cat shook his head and walked away, "Nah, man. I don't like it tonight."

Baffled by the last minute refusal, Weaselton pouted, "Oh, c'mon! What are ya, a scaredy-cat or somethin'? You got a better chance of winning the lottery than running into Cottontail."

* * *

Inside the headquarters of the Zootopia Police Department's Precinct One, one of the television screens broadcasted the interview between Mayor Garcia and Moosebridge. During the meeting, Garcia replied to the reporter, " _...but Judy is not the only cop in the force. I'm being told that Chief Bogo and his men in Precinct One are close to…_ "

A relatively new recruit in Precinct One, a female pig named Detective Jennifer Ramirez, entered the office of his associate, an elderly male wolf named Detective Michael Woltz. "So the mayor says that you're closing in on the Mob, Woltz?" the female detective asked sarcastically.

Crumpling a small piece of paper in his hand, Woltz replied, "The investigation is ongoing." The frustrated wolf tossed the mashed ball towards the wall, specifically where the list of suspects was posted, comprising of a polar bear, a moose, and a family of penguins.

Up on the roof of Precinct One HQ stood another member of the force; Lieutenant James Cluck, an anthropomorphic chicken dressed in a comfortable waistcoat who was a professional and treasured member in the ZPD for eight years, whose quick ascension in the force made most of his competitors envious. He became the youngest animal ever to achieve the rank of lieutenant, and was best known for arresting twenty-three crooks in one night.

The first time he met Judy Hopps, Cluck caught wind of her heroic deeds during the war on crime, and her surprisingly intellectual mind. He couldn't help but admire Judy's dedication to justice, namely the creation of a better world that fits anyone's views. While he wished that Judy would be a bit more assertive in her convictions, and her penchant for disobeying rules and orders would often gave her senior officers, even Chief Bogo, more than a few headaches, Cluck staunchly opposed further violence, and wished instead to influence peaceful solutions – he had no doubts as to the young rabbit's dedication. He even went into a few cases together with Judy and her partner, Nick Wilde. She was meant well despite keeping a leveled head, albeit with a hint of uneasiness.

Ramirez appeared with two mugs of coffee in hand, apparently holding one for the chicken lieutenant— her superior, at best. Handing him a mug, she asked, "Ever intending to see your wife again, Lieutenant Cluck?"

Cluck replied, "I thought that you had to look after your mother, Detective."

Ramirez sipped her drink, "I checked her back at the hospital, sad to say."

Cluck sipped his own, "I'm sorry."

Ramirez acknowledged, "It's all right. So, Hopps hasn't shown up yet?"

Cluck stated, "As far as her abilities in the field are concerned, she has shown tremendous promise." He added with a sigh, "But it seems we can't catch a break with her, even her partner Wilde, and neither can Bogo. She's rebellious and spunky sometimes. Every night, whenever she's off for the day, she causes a scene. It's like reminding everyone that she's out there, like she's leading a case of her own. And she never received orders from headquarters." He scratched the feathers of his head with an odd look, "I swear, sometimes I don't know why I bother…"

Ramirez reminded, "Speaking of Bogo, he's sending a unit to a recently robbed bank in Savanna Central. Hopefully, Hopps will catch up."

Cluck countered, "She probably won't." He added with a smile, "Because she's busy."

* * *

"Yo, Ben! Have you heard the news?" Officer McHorn asked Benjamin Clawhauser, the obese cheetah dispatcher who, as always, was fixated on his desk.

"What news, Mark?" Clawhauser wondered.

"There's a group of copycat bunnies runnin' around, dressed like Hopps," McHorn reported. "All of 'em are girls."

"Really?" Clawhauser's gobbled up a doughnut. "I guess Judy's gained a lotta fans. What's she gonna say about that?"

"Not a clue, but…" McHorn began, but he was interrupted by a ringtone. He traced for his phone and responded, "Hello? Something's going on at the Safari Supermall parking lot? Thanks for the tip, Neil. We'll be right there." He closed the phone, "A huge drug deal's going down at Safari Supermall."

Clawhauser remarked, "I'm surprised there's a lotta drug deals going on during Judy's crusade against the bad guys. Even though a lotta criminals are running scared because of her. There's no way she could stop it all by herself."

McHorn shrugged, "Nah, I'm sure she's fine on her own. Bein' Hopps and all…"

* * *

In the underground parking lot of Safari Supermall, two black minivans rendezvoused with a single white van for apparently illegal reasons. Emerging out of the minivans were penguins hailing from Tundratown, a group of gangsters representing the Mob, the largest family of criminals ever assembled in Zootopia, and the most shifty and evasive. The gang's leader, known as the Pinguino, the tallest of the penguins with brushy yellow hair, and one of the Mob bosses in charge of drug-trafficking, emerged with his troops. And he was obviously displeased.

"That's why we bring dogs," Pinguino began. His ensemble opened up the van's trunk, revealing a couple of Rottweilers inside. Their necks were bound by leashes, and they remained still, waiting to heed the commands of their master. Pinguino fondled the heads of his 'pets', "Dogs bred by the wild! Born in the jungle, but when tamed, they are perfect, obedient soldiers. Ah, my little princes…" After cuddling his attack dogs, Pinguino's men walked towards the occupants of the white van, ten of them dragging a steel cage housing a polar bear turned savage. Its eyes were shot with bloodlust, and its teeth and claws rattled the steel, the urge to kill and maim fueling its veins. Pinguino glared disdainfully, "Consider it payment for what your Night Howler drugs did to my customers."

"Buyer beware…" a voice from the white van, which sounded squeaky and had belonged to a female, answered. "I told you my Night Howler Compound would take you places. I never said there'd be places you wanted to go." The owner of the voice revealed herself to be Dawn Bellwether, the ex-mayor who had miraculously escaped from prison with the help of what remained of her anti-predator inner circle. The creator of the Night Howler potion responded with a haughty laugh, "Gosh, think of the headline! The Mob going savage in the streets, and the ZPD shut them down one block at a time!"

Pinguino was agitated by the loophole, "This is a repeat customer, Bellwether. Times are hard enough as it is without us losing any more money."

Bellwether smiled coyly, "Listen, Pinguino. If you don't like what I offer, you can buy from someone else, assuming Officer Hopps left anyone else to buy from."

Suddenly, the Rottweilers began barking wildly. Both parties cautiously looked around to discover the reason for the wild dogs' behavior.

"My dogs are hungry!" Pinguino bellowed, descrying to a dark figure standing a few yards away in the shadows. He added, "It's a shame that there's only one of you, Bunny Rabbit."

Much to everyone's shock, one of Bellwether's sheep goons shrieked, mysteriously taken out by another presence. Another goon got thrown off the garage's spiral driveway. Finally, the first figure aimed and fired, shattering the glass window of one of the Mob's vans.

Taking cover behind the left side of her van, Bellwether whispered, "That's not _her._ "

Several rabbits, each of them female and dressed in homemade outfits of Judy's ZPD uniform, fired their weapons at the criminals. A gunfight quickly ensued between the imposters and the criminals. The first Judy copybunny fired a shotgun, while another used a submachine gun.

"Release the dogs!" Pinguino yelled.

On cue, the leashes had been released. One of the Rottweilers succeeded in leaping onto one of the fake Judies, and ferociously sunk its teeth into the makeshift armor. One imposter attempted to grab Judy, only to fall victim to a Night Howler pistol shot.

While this seemingly chaotic turn of events continued to rage on, a large vehicle appeared almost out of nowhere, smashing the concrete outside the parking lot, until it finally came into view. While it had a workhorse appearance and had the same paintjob like most vehicles in the ZPD, the only difference was the symbol of a large bunny engraved on the bumper and the sides of the car, and there was no siren attached, the headlights emitting the only brightness. As the Mob gangsters and copybunnies turned, they recognized it as Judy Hopps' personal vehicle… the **Tumbler.**

One of the copybunnies exclaimed, "It's her!"

Another copybunny marveled, "It's gotta be her! The real Judy Hopps!"

A third copybunny smiled, "She'll help us! And that vehicle…"

A fourth copybunny recognized, "It's the Tumbler, Judy's personal vehicle! It's got all this cool tech from Lucius Walrus!"

Pinguino said in disbelief, "Oh, no…"

Bellwether breathed, "Now, that's more like it. The bunny cop finally arrived."

Faced with a more severe threat, Bellwether and Pinguino's thugs both opened fire on the tank-like vehicle. The thugs' efforts to damage the car, however, were in vain, as the bullets didn't inflict a single scratch. Unbeknownst to both parties, the Tumbler had no occupant currently inside; it had been set in 'Automatic Loiter Mode.' After a few moments, 'Intimidation Mode' was initiated. With that, the Tumbler launched two mini-missiles, destroying a security office and a civilian car. Some of the Mob gangsters, including Pinguino, decided to flee rather than stay and fight the bunny cop. The shotgun-wielding copybunny slowly made her way towards the Mob van. That is, until the barrel of her gun somehow got twisted…

…by the real Judy Hopps. This feat was actually accomplished by the aid of a hydraulic device attached to her glove. Upon bending the shotgun's barrel to a certain degree, the rabbit looked at her hapless doppelganger with a sly grin. "Wow, I have lots of new fans! From all the fanbases and merchandise, word on the street is that a bunch of girl bunnies cosplaying as me are trying to clean up my mess." Her face turned serious, "Some nerve. What they lack is the right and how they do the work. Totally not my style!" She knocked out the fake bunny with a side-backfist. "As much as I love to give you my autograph, I'm busy at the moment. I've got an appointment with a certain sheep who escaped from jail again." She eyed Bellwether, the sheep she befriended during her first days in the ZPD, who now became her enemy.

" **RUN!** " Pinguino and his goons had already retreated to their vans. They successfully pulled out of the parking lot, never to suffer Judy's wrath. While Bellwether attempted to leave, some of her thugs attempted to dispose Judy. Quickly reeling the device away from the palm of her paw, the highly-skilled police officer, putting her training at the Academy to work, took a fighting stance. The first ruffian got smacked by swift, powerful blows from Judy's feet to the shoulder and leg, and she ended the brief fight by slamming the lamb's head against a metal railing. The second goon got connected by two elbow strikes to the face. Wielding a handgun, the third goon tried to go against Judy, only to have his weapon wrenched away, before he was jerked by the arm, and then elbowed in the face.

Judy took pride at her accomplishment, "Next time you try to sell things in the parking lot, try to be nice to the customers, alright?" She then noticed one of her copybunnies still being gnawed on by the Rottweilers, "Toxic flowers are a thing, but predators bred by the wild? Different story." She then shrugged, "Meh, it's not my style to leave someone in trouble, either."

Judy took out her grappling gun and fired it towards the poor bunny, pulling her away from the vicious dogs. "Gotta check if she's not hurt real bad…" Before she could act, however, her left arm was bitten carnivorously by one of the Rottweilers, the hard bite causing her to scream in agonizing pain. " **AGGGGGGHHH! IT HURTS!** **IT HURTS!** "

"Help is on the way, Carrots!" By a stroke of luck, Nick Wilde, her best friend and partner in the ZPD, appeared from the darkness and smacked the attack dog off Judy's arm with a swift kick. He eyed the rabbit's injury with a concerned yet amused look, "I think you should've strapped your arm with protective gear in case it gets bitten. I'm not referring to our little fiasco in the museum." He took out a small bask of blueberries from his pocket, "Blueberry?"

"Pass," Judy shook her head. She took out a small cloth and patched her arm, trying to soften the injury and prevent it from bleeding profusely as possible. "So that's what happens when a predator bites prey. We bleed a lot. Gideon Grey couldn't be more wrong; that killer instinct's still in their DNA."

Nick interrupted, "Um, save the biology lesson for later. Right now, Bellwether's van is about to ram us."

"What?" Judy questioned, before she turned to witness the ex-mayor driving the white van at high speeds, intent on flattening a disoriented Judy and Nick into pancakes. "Brace yourself!"

 ** _WHOOSH!_** The van merely sideswiped, and Bellwether was unable to exact her long-awaited revenge on Judy and Nick, the two animals who destroyed her anti-predator regime. She was unaware that they were holding onto the side of the vehicle.

Nick shouted, "That was close! We almost got turned into roadkill!"

Judy responded, "But this gives us the edge we need to get Bellwether out of the car! Hold on tightly!" She applied her hydraulic device to her right paw and slammed it against the metal, tearing an opening through the reinforced steel.

Unfortunately, they noticed one of the garage's column supports coming up. Not wanting to risk getting crushed between the side of the vehicle and the pillar, Judy and Nick grudgingly released their grip. They didn't pull away in time when their bodies collided against the column, though.

Judy groaned, "I'm definitely gonna feel that in the morning… It's a good thing we're still breathing."

Nick wheezed, "Break the bad news, Dawn's getting away. If she does, she'll sell more Night Howlers. It's like the savage outbreak all over again."

Judy shook her head, "And we're not gonna let that happen. We've stopped Bellwether before. We can do it again."

A bit dazed from the collision, the two got back on their feet, and slowly walked to the edge of the spiral driveway.

Nick pondered, "It's a long drive down to the exit. Any ideas on how to get there in time?"

Judy beamed, "I have an idea. It may be risky, but it's worth a shot. We just have to wait for the right moment…"

Bellwether, now driving her van several floors below, was under the pretense that she was home-free. A few more spirals, and she's out of the mall…

Judy's ears flopped up, catching wind of the vehicle's arrival at a certain point.

" **NOW!** "

She and Nick leaped off the driveway's edge with vigorous cries, their bodies descending a few feet. Within seconds, their feet impacted the van's windshield, shattering the glass and smacking Bellwether across the face. This resulted in the sheep's hands knocked off the wheel, allowing the van to screech out of control until it crashed against the force of a nearby pillar, stopping the momentary rampage. Luckily, all three animals survived, albeit a bit exhausted, and the van showed no signs of leaked gas.

"That worked…" Nick coughed.

 **A few minutes later…**

Judy and Nick had Bellwether, her goons, and of course, her copybunnies tied up, their arms cuffed to the driveway's iron railing.

Judy instructed, "Now, you guys stay here until our friends from the force come to pick you up." She turned to Bellwether, "I hope you enjoy another trip to the slammer, Dawn."

Bellwether chuckled, "Still a girl scout as ever, Judy. And a thorn in my side…"

Nick said sternly, "Do us all a favor, will ya? Don't let us find you around here again." He wrapped an arm around Judy's shoulder, "Carrots and I were looking forward to a night out, and you jerks had to ruin it."

Judy agreed, "Yeah. Not cool."

One of the copybunnies protested, "You don't understand, Miss Hopps! We're trying to help you!"

Returning to the Tumbler, Judy scoffed, "Does it look like I need help? I can do fine on my own."

Nick reminded, "Hey, don't forget, I'm still on your side. You're not on your own on this one."

Judy giggled, "Right. I knew that."

Bellwether remarked, "Not my diagnosis."

The copybunny argued, "What gives you the right, you dumb bunny?! What's the difference between you and me?!"

Judy snapped, "First off, I'm not wearing spandex or hockey pads. Second, I don't use guns. Third, I'm _not_ a dumb bunny. And fourth, if you really wanna help, do community service instead. If you're lucky enough, you might be a cop. Maybe a supervisor one day."

Nick chuckled jokingly, "You're learning from the expert." He turned to Judy, "Wanna go to Cracker's Café? My treat."

Judy smiled contently, "I'd love to."

" _Hopps! Wilde!_ " the voice of Chief Bogo boomed from the Tumbler's communications radio system. " _There's a bank robbery happening yesterday in downtown Savanna Central! Get in there on the double, or I'll give you another week in parking duty!_ "

Rolling her eyes, Judy took the radio speaker and responded to it, "Alright, alright! We're coming!" She turned to Nick with a disappointed sigh, "Duty calls."

Nick confirmed, "Well, I suppose my treat can wait."

Judy agreed, "It can wait."

With that, the two friends boarded the Tumbler and drove off, leaving both parties for the police.


	3. Blast from the Past

Hours later, it was the break of dawn. In the wake of the recent bank robbery, the ZPD was currently investigating the Savanna Central Bank, one of a select few where the Mob stationed their seemingly unlimited stashes of bank in secret. Chief Bogo entered the building, accompanied by Lieutenant James Cluck, to spearhead the case. Although there were various reporters investigating their own findings, they were held back by the police to avoid unwanted interference.

Greeted by one of the officers, Bogo and Cluck were then accompanied by Detective Ramirez. As the three headed over to the underground vault, the young pig gave her senior officers some details regarding the homicide-robbery. Ramirez handed Bogo a photographic piece of evidence, "He can't resisting showing us his face."

When they reached the vault, Bogo questioned, "What's he hiding under that makeup?"

The three cops examined the bareness of the vault; only one or two stacks of cash remained inside the chamber. Placing the photograph on a vacant sliding table, they casually turned around to see Judy and Nick appearing at the entrance.

Cluck remarked, "You took a big risk coming here."

Bogo crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing, "Where have you two been? This better be good."

Judy reported, "We had to stop another Night Howler drug operation by Bellwether earlier today. Wanted to make sure she won't be churning out any more savage outbreaks."

Bogo confirmed with a nod, "Hmph. I see. You're doing night patrol, as usual. _Without_ even bothering to consult me about it."

Judy smiled awkwardly, "Yeah, this is kinda embarrassing."

Nick eyed the stashes of cash, "What's with the missing green paper?"

Cluck borrowed the photographic evidence from Ramirez and presented it to Judy and Nick, "It's the Joker. He's at it again."

Nick raised an eyebrow, "The Joker? You mean that wannabe host of a cub's birthday party? He seriously needs to put up a better act."

Bogo said sternly, "This isn't the time nor the place for jokes, Wilde. This is a serious matter."

Nick questioned, "But isn't a Joker one who makes jokes? Don't get mad because I'm right."

Bogo frowned, "What did I just say?"

Taking out a gadget of some sort from her utility harness, Judy examined a stack of money nearby. "Who's with this Joker guy? His posse's like a birthday party where bad guys get to play games with the money they stole."

Bogo pondered, "What about them?"

Cluck stated, "The Joker's accomplices turned out to be another group of small-time crooks. Like the others, they're all killed off."

Judy asked, "What about the marked bills we gave you? The lightly-radiated kind?"

Cluck informed, "Our detectives have been making drops on them for weeks. This bank was a fifth draft for the Mob to shield their dirty cash."

Judy said enthusiastically, "And that's where we move in."

Bogo suggested, "Now, now, let's not make a mess out of things, Hopps. The only way to solve this case is to do it with strategy and great care. We'd have to hit all five banks simultaneously. We need SWAT teams for backup."

Nick asked, "What about this Joker guy?"

Judy rubbed her chin, "One guy or the entire Mob? We can't pick all two at once."

Cluck replied, "When the new DA hears about this, she'll want in."

Nick wondered, "Who's the new DA?"

Cluck answered, "You haven't heard? Her name is Alicia Garnet. She's a prodigious rabbit from Bunnyburrow who became our new district attorney." He turned to Judy, "A rabbit, just like you."

Judy screamed joyously, " **ALICIA'S THE NEW DA?!** "

Nick had never seen his partner so happy in a good short while. Before the fox was given a chance to ask, Judy had already dashed outside the vault and escaped from the bank. Nick looked back to Bogo and Cluck, since they were the only ones left to converse. "What's the deal with this Alicia Garnet? Is she like, a really amazing attorney-at-law? Do you trust her?"

Bogo admitted, "Well, it's hard to keep her out of just about anything. I heard she's as stubborn as the both of you."

Nick confirmed, "We've got a long day ahead of us."

* * *

The sun peered up over the infrastructure of the mammal metropolis, and sent it rays into the streets. In a local clinic in Savanna Central, a badger doctor succeeded in stitching the last torn fabric of Judy's fur. The rabbit, having changed her police uniform for day-to-day fare, was informed than in a few days, the fur would reattach itself, and it would be good as new. Nick sat in the waiting room, reading a local magazine while waiting for the successful treatment. He didn't know how much of it was a small-time surgery, but he had no intention of betting any money on a verily expensive medical bill. But since the treatment was merely a surgery, the charges were cheap.

Afterwards, Judy emerged from the doctor's office with a relieved smile. Nick smiled back, "Why is it whenever bunnies patch or stitch themselves up, they always leave behind a mess?" Putting down the magazine, he stood up and motioned her to follow him outside the clinic.

Judy obliged, and the two headed out the door. As they walked down the corner of the familiar streets, the bunny gave her reply, "It makes me learn from my mistakes." She touched her patched wound, "That's one huge bite! A bite mark from a wild dog, but it's a lot like a tiger's to us rabbits. It's a big dog with a tiger's teeth. I seriously need some more new gear."

Nick replied, "Well, I'm sure our old pal Mr. Walrus could oblige. We could always count on him for new tech."

At the mention of Lucius Walrus, Judy began to let the past year's events swim before her eyes. After she and Nick became heroes, life had seemed so much more intense. Of course, having a bunny and a fox for cops, not to mention gaining all the attention and admiration from the locals, would certainly be justification for great support, especially after hearing that a lot of good citizens wanted to contribute to the cause of Zootopia's dynamic duo. Did woodland critters enroll in the same academy to train and develop the same athleticism as Judy? Did grazing mammals produce costumes, merchandise, and collectibles based on her likeness? Or better yet, did the local companies develop sufficient tools, gadgetry, and weaponry for Judy and Nick to use should things get perilous? Really, who could blame them all? Many animals had shown praise and respect for Judy Hopps, and almost certainly, some worshiped her like a cult, a religion. Others wished they could help her.

And that was when Lucius Walrus, the CEO of Walrus Tech Enterprises, came in and met Judy and Nick three months after the savage outbreak. He offered to provide them an array of unique gadgets they could use in such methods that the next crime would be too dangerous and risky for any ordinary cop to handle on their own. Luckily for them, there was no charge, and Lucius was dependable as an ally. This was why Judy and Nick were able to solve countless cases with style and tenacity, why their vehicle of choice was the **Tumbler.**

Originally a prototype vehicle designed by Walrus Tech Enterprises' Applied Sciences Division as a bridging vehicle for the military, the **Tumbler's** features included weaponry, the ability to boost into a rampless jump, armor strong enough to break through concrete barriers without sustaining significant damage, and a propane tank which can blast fire from the rear nozzle to attain high speeds. The Tumbler also featured a radio communications system to contact fellow ZPD officers, a camera navigator for checking emergencies when driving around… and a cup holder. This vehicle was but one of many things completing the transformation of Judy and Nick's new lives as big-city cops.

Judy let her mind wander in this way for several minutes, until she resumed the subject with a sigh, "And if that wasn't odd enough, more copybunnies are on the run, trying to take my place in the night patrol. This time, they have guns. I hope there aren't any copyfoxes based on you."

Nick said jokingly, "Why not just hire the copybunnies so that you can take the weekend off?"

Judy laughed, elbowing the fox's arm, "Nick, stop it! That's not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to make the world a better place."

Nick grinned, "I know. But a lot of things in Zootopia have improved since last year. I mean, check out the new district attorney! Alicia Garnet, isn't it? I read the latest issue on _Zoobiz Weekly._ She's best known for her smarts, her attitude, and a track record of putting away bad guys. For a bunny, she's a hot personality."

At the mention of Alicia's name, Judy's expression brightened, "Yep, that's good ol' Ali, making an entrance."

Nick continued, "Speaking of Alicia, you've turned into a hyper bunny when her name was mentioned. It's like you two go back a long ways."

Judy answered, "She's my best friend from Bunnyburrow, my classmate, my college roomie. She's a three-time major, a Summa Cum Laude, and the youngest third-in-command of Zootopia's largest pharmaceutical company, AidMed." She added with enthusiasm, "Me and Alicia are besties since grade school, before I joined the Police Academy. We've been pulling some strings together, acing exams together, kicking butt together, winning contests and taking names."

The rabbit's spirit of cheer compelled Nick to ask a question, "How is Alicia exactly, then?"

Judy explained, "Alicia's a very great friend. Trust me, you'll like her. We met each other at the farm fair, the day when Gideon Gray scratched the fur off my cheek. She watched my stage play, and she felt inspired and captivated by it _._ We both shared the same dream of making the world a better place, and that's how we became friends. I wanted to be a cop, and she wanted to be an attorney. She had the mind of a genius, the heart of a saint, and the wit of the Devil himself." She started laughing as she drew together her memory, "I remember one time this rhino jock had been shoving me around in between classes. A real big tough guy, you know? Well, Ali got back at him by giving him an Easter egg."

Nick's face contracted in curiosity, "How did that work?"

Judy's face constantly twisted into an involuntary smile, "Well, she had taken an egg, just an ordinary chicken egg, poked a hole in it, drained it out, and then filled it with this nasty smelling goop she pilfered from the chemistry lab. She sealed it up with a bit of putty, and then…" She let her laughter interrupt her story, "…and **THEN** she covered it in a layer of chocolate she melted down. After it cooled, Alicia walked right up to the jock and said, 'Here you go, big guy! Happy Easter!' That lumbering big horn just smiled, took a big old bite, and wham!" Judy smacked her paws for effect, "Face full of the nastiest slime I've seen in my life! And his expression? It's the coolest thing ever!"

Nick joined in the laughter. After calming down, he asked, "So, did the rhino quit picking on you?"

Judy took a bit longer to regain her composure, but when she finally did, she answered, "Well, no. The rhino just ended up dividing time between each of us. For that particular stunt, we both got our laundry dyed pink for a month afterwards. But still, the whole dorm heard about it and news of the _Egg Incident_ spread like wildfire to all the other dorms. And you know what?" She turned to Nick with a knowing look in her eye, "I don't think Ali ever intended for that egg to stop him. In fact, she knew it wouldn't keep the jock away. It's just to prove that I wasn't alone, that she was on my side."

Nick wondered, "How so?"

Judy replied, "Ali wasn't going anywhere without her dad's lucky coin. Whenever she flips the coin, she decides what she wants to do. Heads, something good will happen, but tails, not so much. It's like leaving things to chance, which is kinda weird." She then smiled, "But still, Ali's the best. She's intelligent, trustworthy, brave, friendly, and you're right about one thing, Nick. She's a hot personality."

Nick asked, "Have you talked to her?"

Judy nodded, "Over the phone, yeah. She hasn't changed a bit. Ali's made a huge fortune from her work at AidMed, and she purchased a huge apartment with a penthouse for her and her family to live in. She has a mom, a dad, one little brother, and two little sisters." She then beamed, "You know what, Nick? Maybe you and I can organize a get-together. I think you'll get along fine with them."

Nick smirked, "Sweet! I'm starting to like her already. Looks like you're not the only tough bunny on the block. You can't ask for someone better."

Judy barely stifled a giggle. With Alicia as the new district attorney, she was certain that Zootopia would be more safer than ever. Who knows? Maybe she, Nick, and Alicia would make a great team, even put an end to the Mob's shadow over the city, even the Joker. No money-grabbing clown would get anywhere near a cub.

Checking the watch on her wrist, Judy announced, "Well, we still have time for a morning snack, so how about that treat you promised me?"

"Can do," Nick snickered, and he wrapped an arm across Judy's shoulder, the rabbit doing the same with hers. They walked ahead, and a peaceful, prosperous future of a crime-free world lay with it.


	4. Zootopia's White Knight

Around the same time Judy's arm was stitched, a courtroom case was about to go underway. The large audience sat and waited anxiously, some impatient that the trial was delayed temporarily. Standing alongside the plaintiff was a male rabbit dressed in formal attire, who happened to be the district attorney's assistant. Like the rest, he was waiting for Alicia Garnet to begin the prosecution. Two defendants were made presentable in the courtroom; Salvatore Pappagallo, a green parrot and the supposed crime boss, was kept in a bird's cage sitting on the defendant's stand, while his accomplice, an otter named Johnson, was positioned at the podium's witness stand. As the courtroom resonated with soft whispers of speculation, the doors were spread wide open.

"Sorry I'm late, folks!"

Alicia Garnet, Zootopia's new district attorney, had just arrived. She wore a glittering sleeveless red dress, black-sleeved gloves, and a white bow tied around her neck. Her fur was neatly brushed, and she had a small garnet earring adorning her left ear. This rabbit, hailing from Bunnyburrow, became a citizen of Zootopia several years ago. Having left her ancestral home upon graduation from college on a quest to create a safe and secure society for all animals, Alicia found herself into the world of Zootopia Internal Affairs, in which she cracked various cases with strategic planning and accuracy. Naturally both charismatic and intelligent, she passed her academics with flying colors and moved up through the ranks to become District Attorney, thus expanding her campaign against organized crime. Though she was just a bunny, Alicia was a symbol and a hero praised by the people of Zootopia, some considering her equal to childhood friend Judy Hopps. As time moved on, she and her family moved to an apartment in Savanna Central and had a boyfriend named Jason Dawes, who was also her assistant DA currently presiding at the trial.

Alicia took her seat next to Jason, who was visibly irritated. He whispered, "Where have you been, Alicia? You're twenty minutes late!"

"Sorry, Jason," Alicia giggled. "I had to make myself presentable. Can't show up in front of a crowd without my favorite garnet dress." She gestured to her glittering dress, "Isn't that sparkly pretty?"

"Red, your favorite color," Jason could barely stifle a chuckle. "It matches your name."

"Red is very trendy," Alicia joked, her lips curling a coy smile. "Oh, were you worried you'd have to step up for your beautiful red gem?"

"C'mon, Red…" Jason pouted. "I know these briefs backwards."

"Well, fair's fair," Alicia shrugged. She took out her two-headed Peace dollar, her trademark coin handed down by her father, one of the very traits befitting her charisma. "Heads, I'll take it. Tails, he's all yours."

Jason said sarcastically, "Oh, yeah? You wanna flip a coin to see who leads? You wouldn't need to control my mind to have me do your work."

"Case you forget, it's my dad's lucky coin," Alicia stated. "I remember it got me to say yes when you asked me on our first date. If it hit tails, I'd be shy to go out with you without a proper dress."

"You wouldn't leave something up to chance, would you?" Jason asked.

Alicia responded by flipping her coin up into the air, before it landed on the palm of her paw, revealing it to have landed on _heads._ "Of course not. I make my own luck." Jason simply rolled his eyes.

"All rise," the bailiff announced. "The honorable Judge Tortimer presiding."

The audience bearing witness to the trial stood upright, and Tortimer the tortoise judge rustled his paperwork. Salvatore Pappagallo turned to his opponent and spoke with a biting sarcasm in his words, "I thought the DA just plays golf with the bunny bunch, or things like that."

"Tee-off's at 1:30. That's more than enough time to put you away for life, Sally," Alicia countered, calling the parrot defendant by his nickname. Beginning the prosecution, she examined a sheet of paper in the form of evidence, walking around the court bench. "If I recall correctly, Gozaburo Panthera used to be the head of the crime family operating the underworld from behind the scenes. However, he was infected by former mayor Bellwether's Night Howler serum, and put out of the picture ever since. With Panthera locked up in Cliffside Asylum, someone must've stepped up to run this so-called crime family. It's well known for disturbing the peace, defacing public property…" The paper turned over, "…publishing libelous materials, drug dealing, and obstruction of justice." Alicia turned to the audience, "Let me ask you a question, ladies and gentlemen… Is the new head of the Mob in this courtroom today?"

Johnson, with a smug look, stood up from the witness stand and nodded. The district attorney kindly asked, "Could you identify him for us, please?"

"You win, Counselor," Johnson replied. Alicia looked at Pappagallo with a smile, confident that victory was hers. The otter continued, "It was me. I'm the head of the Mob."

Alicia was not fooled by the unexpected response; a portion of the court chuckled to that expense. She quickly shifted her paper to voice the defendant's sacking, "I have in my hand a sworn statement given to me by my assistant, Jason Dawes…" She gestured to Johnson, "…from _you,_ Mr. Johnson Otterman…" Her sharp eyes darted to the parrot in the birdcage, "…that _this_ parrot, Salvatore Pappagallo, is the new head of the Panthera crime family."

Johnson smugly replied, "Pappagallo? He's a fall guy! I'm the brains of the organization." It was apparent that Pappagallo convinced the otter to take the fall for the crime. Again, the audience broke into laughter.

Judge Tortimer momentarily broke from his regal position, and banged the gavel several times to silence the crowd. "Order in the court!"

Alicia turned to the podium and proposed Tortimer, "Your Honor, I wish to treat Mr. Otterman as hostile."

"Granted," the judge complied.

"Hostile?" Johnson glared. "I'll show you hostile!"

Much to almost everyone's surprise, the otter pulled out a handgun and aimed it at Alicia's chest, intent on putting a bullet through the rabbit's heart. Fortunately for the young district attorney, the weapon jammed itself before the shot was made. Alicia immediately grasped the barrel with her left paw and threw a right hook, knocking Johnson down. The bailiffs soon forcibly constrained the hoodlum and dragged him away.

Alicia's paws disassembled every part of the malfunctioned gun, before she placed it in front of the defendant's desk. "Carbon fiber, .28 caliber. Made in Animal China." She leaned at the edge with a sly grin, "Piece of advice, Mr. Pappagallo. If you wanna kill a public servant, I recommend you buy American."

"Get the witness out of here," Judge Tortimer ordered.

Turning around, Alicia quipped, "But, Your Honor, I'm not done yet."

The court began applauding for the spectacle, glad that the case was handled perfectly by a rather intelligent bunny. Jason merely sighed at the sight of this event; he had personally expected a serious prosecution from his girlfriend, to provide evidence instead of entertainment. There was no better symbol for a prosecution. A hero swinging from the tree was almost as romantic as it was trivial. A hero being an attorney at law, trying to make a show out a fair trial, was decidedly less inspiring, but admirable.

Still, this couldn't help the fact that Pappagallo would be acquitted, due to an underling taking the fall for him.

* * *

Minutes later, the case was over, and the crowd shuffled outside the courtroom, such as Alicia and Jason, the legal couple walking in the halls of their office building.

Jason confirmed, "Since we can't take the gun back to Pappagallo, we won't be able to charge him."

"Yeah, much as I hate to admit it," Alicia said bitterly. "I remember it well… Last week, the Mob's recent activity was pamphlets going up all over the suburbs, decrying the crimes of _bourgeoisie_ depicting various government officials as hideous beasts. Pappagallo would speak in Sahara Square, often competing with local preachers for an audience. That much could be tolerated; there were always dissidents in society. A few cops chastised him for being unruly, but otherwise, nothing was done."

"Then he began talking to the cops, the most gullible among them," Jason added.

"Uh-huh," Alicia nodded. "A few key cops in the ZPD Precincts had been persuaded to abandon their posts and give Pappagallo a free walk right into City Hall. Mayor Garcia, his daughter and I, had been on an afternoon stroll in the garden, and we only spotted Sally when he ordered his carrier to raise the rifle, aimed right at us, ready to fire. And then, WHAM!" She banged her palm, "I jammed the gun just in time and wrested Pappagallo's birdcage, and the rest of the cops came rushing in. The traitors were found and promptly sent to prison, and the offending posters were taken down. When my coin landed on _heads,_ I volunteered for the prosecution, and I thought things would run smoothly… until an otter took the fall for Sal's crime, and the case was closed, end of story." She gritted her teeth, "Darn, that parrot's always got a trick up his feathers."

Jason stated, "Still, the fact that the Mob's trying to kill you means that we're getting to them."

"Glad to hear it, Jas," Alicia leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "The sooner we crack every resource on the Mob, the better."

"C'mon, Red. You're looking at Zootopia's DA. You can do anything," Jason flirted. "If you're not getting shot at, you're not doing your job right. If he said that you were rattled, you could take the rest of the day off, if you know what I mean."

"Well, as much as I wanna have another date with you, I can't," Alicia admitted. "They dragged the head of Precinct One down here. He's waiting at my office."

"Chief Bogo?" Jason beamed. "He's a bit rough around the edge, but he's reliable and trustworthy. Try to be nice."

"It's not Bogo I don't trust. It's someone else in the force, actually," Alicia explained, her mind focusing entirely on Judy Hopps, the brave, optimistic rabbit she befriended at childhood who became a big city cop.

* * *

And sure enough, a few minutes later, Alicia saw Bogo, the chief of Precinct One and Judy's commanding officer, waiting in her office. She greeted as she entered, "Hey, Charlie! S'been a while since we talked face-to-face in my office, hasn't it?"

"It certainly has," Bogo reciprocated. Once the two animals shook hands, they sat at opposite sides of the table. "I heard you were this close to putting Pappagallo behind bars. It's just a shame he's been acquitted of all charges."

"Yeah, I guess." Alicia confessed. "At least the good thing about it is that the Mob keeps giving us second chances." She flipped the stack of money in her paws given to her by the police chief, "Lightly radiated bills. That's pretty fancy stuff for a city cop like you. Have any help?"

Bogo began, "We have links with various agencies—"

Alicia interrupted, "Save it, Bogo. I want to see _her._ "

Bogo countered, "You mean Officer Hopps? Why bother with her? She's reckless and stubborn, that's who she is..."

Alicia bluffed, "She's a hero."

Bogo argued, "Hero? More like vigilante! Every night and almost every afternoon, she abandons her post and incites a scurry in various residences and avenues. She does things without receiving any orders or briefings from headquarters! She's a wildcard! A rebel!"

Alicia countered, "And those 'wildcard actions' turned out to be successful captures of criminals and solving of cases before they even began. The indifference doesn't matter. Only what she does. That's why she's the hero cop in these here parts."

Bogo said sarcastically, "Well, if I had my way, I'd give her a week of parking duty or two as a penance. I wanted to fire her for insubordination, but her recognition is so great that I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Alicia jeered, "Oh, so Buffalo Butt has a soft side, huh?"

Bogo frowned, "Don't call me 'Buffalo Butt.'"

Alicia pointed out, "That's what everybody calls you, isn't it? Officer Hopps' fox partner, Nick Wilde, posted that nickname on the Internet a year ago after the savage outbreak. Remember that, Buffy?"

Bogo blushed in embarrassment, "Please, don't bring that up. Can we focus on the subject?"

"Okay, geez. Don't have to be so bossy," Alicia rolled her eyes. She tossed the stack of bills on the desk, and rubbed her chin. "That's odd. I've put every known money launderer in Zootopia behind bars, but the Mob is still getting its money out. Now, either you or Hopps have found the last game in town, and you're trying to hit them where it hurts: their wallets. That's bold." Her face brightened, "You gonna count me in?" She held up a pen and her warrant issuer.

Bogo replied, "In this city, the fewer animals know something, the safer the operation."

"Bogo…" Alicia frowned. "I don't like the fact that you have your own special unit in Precinct One. And I also don't like the fact that it's full of cops I've investigated back at Internal Affairs."

Bogo said assertively, "If I had to work with cops you investigated while you made your name in IA, I'd be working alone. I don't make political points for being an idealist; I have to do the best I can with what I have. We don't always have to rely on Hopps. We have other good cops like Officers McHorn, Higgins, and Snarlov. We can do fine on our own. And who knows? We can do even better."

Alicia glared at him, "How do I know I can trust you? You and your so-called 'good cops?' Hopps is a good cop, too."

Bogo scoffed, "If I wanted her to turn over her badge, she'd be right now. Sometimes I doubt why she's a real cop. I mean, the first time I met her, she was begging and pleading to be a real cop and stop being a meter maid. No one asked what I wanted with her when she's assigned to me. But instead, she just… She just…" He was unable to explain anymore as he rubbed his head.

"Don't worry, Charles," Alicia assured, putting a paw on Bogo's hoof. "Judy's not so bad once you get used to her. You just need to open up to her. You just need some time."

A brief pause, and Bogo pondered for a moment. He then admitted with a sigh, "You're right, I should. I suppose, no matter how small or big the problem is, or how good or bad the case gets, there are some regrets you can't outgrow."

"And there are some things you can't deny," Alicia added. "I mean, Hopps is not just a big city hero cop; she's also my best friend since childhood."

Bogo nodded, "I know. You just told me about her."

"I told everybody, from my assistant attorney to Mayor Garcia," Alicia smiled. She then focused on the task at hand, "So let me get this straight. You want me to back warrants for search and seizure on five banks... without telling me what we're after?"

"I can give you the names of the banks," Bogo offered. "It's the least I can do."

"Well, that's a start," Alicia confirmed. "I'll get you your warrants. But I want your trust."

"You don't have to sell me, Garnet," Bogo claimed. "We all know that you're Zootopia's White Knight."

"Yeah, well..." Alicia replied. "I heard they have a different name for me back at my college days. Then again, it's AidMed, before I joined the law business."

"I wouldn't know about that," Bogo shook his head.

And then, a brief _BEEP_ from her sleeved glove. She peeled off the wrapping and looked at her wristwatch, which had beeped continuously.

"Oh, look at the time," Alicia exclaimed. "I've got an appointment with a close friend of mine." She stood up, her face showing a curtly smile, "Have a nice day, Chief Bogo."

And with that, she left the room.


	5. Reunion

The car horns of the city trumpeted as Judy and Nick weaved their way through the crowds of people. Judy remembered how a year ago, she and her fox friend had been walking on this very pavement, searching for fourteen missing mammals and a way to stop Bellwether's insidious supremacist plan. How predators were caught in a conspiracy that bulges the connection they shared with prey. How their risked fur and fang, and how… It was almost nostalgic that crime was always on the move, striking in the shadows when someone least expects it. The images from the past as well as the present still came: criminals that Judy effortlessly totaled, crooks she had flawlessly brought down. She had nearly become a living weapon of vigilant capabilities. But now, with Alicia as the new DA, things were different. Physically shaking her head to store the memories of hard work she endured, Judy looked around, taking in the stunning sights and resonating sounds of downtown Savanna Central, how things looked peaceful and bright thanks to the best in the ZPD.

They had just arrived at Alicia Garnet's apartment, and boy, was it something! Judy recalled how the district attorney's new home looked like; it was simply enormous, matching the height of the monumental skyscrapers that dominated the skyline, a size fit for the house of a queen. Nick, on the other hand, never imagined how apartments grew in size with the soaring edifices, since he spent most of his life in a small apartment, and how he paid the rent by earning money during his old con-artist career. He supposed that some buildings had a ceremonious purpose for some ritual he was not aware of; he never guessed that even the tallest ones were owned by one animal. It was amazing all the same.

Judy and Nick had to use the elevator all the way to Alicia's quarters, the penthouse. As they entered, they beheld such a fantastical sight. It was so cuisine, so lifelike, so… fancy. The living room was wide with decorations, from housed personal collectibles and a widescreen television set, to a huge rock sculpture and a crystal chandelier. Surrounding it were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. The first thing Judy and Nick noticed from peering out the penthouse window was a different perspective, that the tall buildings looked a lot different from the apartment. The view of the city stretched as far as the eye could see, and they stood a hundred feet up in the air.

"What a view!" Nick breathed. "This is the first time I've been to the top of an extremely tall building. The view is so great, you can see everything from here. The ecosystems, the neighboring counties, even our houses! When did animals get the idea to make something this high up?"

"Nick, buildings are supposed to be this high up," Judy chuckled. "They last for a couple of decades; there's no way it's coming down." She thrust her paw to gesture around, "We're in the penthouse of the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, Alicia's home in the city."

"The Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant? One of the city's most popular resorts?!" Nick beamed. "I've heard stories about this hotel here in Savanna Central, but this is nuts! Your friend Alicia must've been filthy rich!"

"Well, since she worked hard in AidMed, it finally paid off," Judy replied. "She made a vast fortune from her medical studies and spent it to own this entire apartment. In a sense, it's like a mansion to her."

Nick remarked, "Your bosom bunny since kindergarten is both an attorney and a rich bunny? Now that's somethin'."

"Not exactly since kindergarten," Judy shook her head. "I met her when I was eight. That was after my stage play." Her head turned from the window, "Do you like it?"

Nick answered, "If I was rich, made $10,000 than $200 a day, I'd own a place like this." He began to fantasize, "The sights and sounds, the fancy food, the comfy beds, the decorations, the widescreen TV…"

"So would I," Judy agreed with a smile. "It'd be way better than that Grand Pangolin, with all the greasy walls and the neighbors shouting a lot."

"You know what?" Nick offered. "I'd let you stay in _my_ apartment, if you want. Has no greasy walls, no neighbors that shout a lot. Though it's not as tall as this one, it had wide-open space and just about anything you could ask. If not much like this room…"

Judy giggled blushingly, "Oh, Nick… You ask too much of me."

Nick smirked, "I know. It's what I do to make friends smile a lot. Especially when it comes to your bosom bunny."

Judy stated, "FYI, another bunny can call another bunny a 'bosom bunny'…" She added nervously, "…but when other animals do it, it's a little…"

"I'm just sayin'," Nick shrugged.

"People seem to know an awful lot about Alicia, who recently became Zootopia's DA," Judy focused on the subject. "Lots of animals were spreading rumors that she and I go way back, and considering we're best friends, they thought we would make a great team." She gestured to herself and Nick, "You, me, and Ali."

Nick wondered, "How are we gonna know that we'd make a great team?"

Judy responded, "I don't know, but it's worth a try. Whatever Alicia asks from us, I'm game."

Nick elected, "Same here."

"Most certainly! You, Mr. Wilde, and myself… It would be the greatest team-up this city's ever seen!"

An unexpected voice echoed from the back, female by the tone, and Judy and Nick turned to see the owner standing at the center of the living room, an enormous smile breaking over her face. "Didn't your mom ever teach you to knock or ring the doorbell?" She added with a chuckle, "I guess I'm a sucker for leaving the door unlocked."

" **OH, MY GOSH! ALI!** " Judy screamed when she recognized the rabbit in front of her, by the garnet dress and earring. She raced over and scooped her up in a warm, tight embrace, the latter returning it as they laughed together. Judy stepped back and shook Alicia's hand vigorously, "Ali, it's so great to see you!"

"Hey, Jude!" Alicia greeted back. "Thanks for taking the opportunity. Welcome to the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, my place. And this is my penthouse. Looks swell, ain't it? There's always a place for friends like you here! The whole safari can come crumbling down, but friends always line up for a visit."

"We just came from downtown," Judy beamed. "And you're right, it's swell. It really is!"

"Glad to hear it," Alicia confirmed. Her eyes shifted to the fox, "And who's this? Oh, wait! You're Nick Wilde, Jude's sidekick in the force! My buddies in the law business talked about you, when Jude made her name in the ZPD."

Nick grinned and accepted her offer for a handshake, "Yep, that's me. Nice to meet you, Miss Garnet." His face turned serious, "And it's _partner_ , not sidekick."

Alicia scoffed, "Oh, please. Miss Garnet is what my employees call me. Call me Alicia, or Ali for short." She motioned with her gloved paws, "Come on, let's not hang around here staring at the window all day. What kind of a host am I? Please, let me give you the grand tour!" She energetically led them around the penthouse. For some reason, Nick felt proud being deemed worthy as a subject of Alicia's interest. Judy simply brimmed with nostalgia and satisfaction.

"All aboard the Garnet Express for all your walking needs," Alicia announced. "Please remain standing, or take a seat, as the train comes to a complete stop." Judy and Nick couldn't suppress the urge to laugh. The garnet-wearing rabbit raised her voice to proclaim out loud, "Mom! Dad! Company's here!"

The first of the Garnets to appear were an elderly married couple. Dressed in day-to-day fare, their furs were framed with gloss, and their emerald eyes blazed with life and passion, all of which complemented an excited smile. The female rabbit walked swiftly up to the newcomers and said, "Hi, I'm Amanda, Alicia's mother."

"And I'm her father, Jon," the male rabbit added. "You must be Judy the hero cop, and his sidekick Nick. It's a pleasure to meet both of you!"

Nick said sternly, "I'm _not_ his sidekick. I'm his partner."

Judy giggled, "They certainly have a mind of their own. A pleasure to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Garnet."

Jon insisted, "Please, call us by our names."

Amanda turned and called gently, yet authoritatively, "Kids! Come and greet Alicia's friends!"

"Does she mean her little—" Nick began, but he was interrupted when a grubby paw was shoved in his face, barely noticing three little rabbits coming up to him.

"Puppy!"

"A puppy?! Me?!" Nick exclaimed. It wasn't long before he noticed his assailant: a seven-year old rabbit standing a few feet away. The child's eyes were wide open, filled with curiosity and wanderlust. He gently nuzzled the fox's muzzle and squeezed it gently, making him flinch a little. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy on the muzzle!" He then felt a little ticklish, "Ha-ha-ha-ha, that tickles! That tickles!"

The little rabbit remarked, "Wow, big puppy. You have soft fur, you have a big mouth, and you dress funny."

Quickly forgetting that he was called a puppy, Nick replied with a grin, "Oh, really? That's what my mom used to say to me. And the way you look, you remind me of… Ow!" The rabbit nearly put his finger between his nostrils, "You remind of Finnick, a friend of mine who dresses up like a baby elephant, and the two of us were buying a Jumbo… Owie!" Nick flinched when the rabbit poked his eye. He rubbed his injury, "That's gonna leave a mark."

Judy couldn't stop herself from laughing, "Good one! Alicia's little brother found a new toy in Toot-Toot!"

Nick complained, "But still, it hurts me in the eye."

Jon looked and chuckled, "Well, I see that Andrew's taken a liking to you."

Nick shrugged, "Meh, it happens to me sometimes whenever I meet new people."

Judy smiled coyly, "In Zootopia, anyone can be anything. This fox, he be a plushy."

Nick protested, "Hey! That's my schtick!"

"You're the most adorable puppy I've ever seen!" Andrew gleefully shrieked. "Can I touch your tail?" The fox didn't answer at first. The little rabbit began to caress the fur on Nick's tail, "Wow, it's fuzzy and warm, just like my favorite blanket."

At that moment, Nick felt a strong hinge of comfort for both Andrew's adorableness and the softness of his paws. Those paws were so silky and smooth that he was compelled to revel at the touch. Whenever they connected with his fur, Nick was sent miles away to a fantasy land where he forgot all his troubles, forgot all his cares. So far, he liked this. He then saw another of Alicia's youngest siblings, a girl rabbit about twelve years old. This one had the green eyes of her mother. The older girl knelt down and scratched Nick behind his ears, joining Andrew in his message. It gave the fox the sudden urge to breathe with pleasure and ecstasy.

Judy teased, "What's the matter, Slick? You feel like you're a dog."

Nick argued, "Hey, don't hate because foxes and dogs are alike! All the kids seem to like me, the fact that I'm a big city cop and all. They think I'm cute and fluffy." He relaxed, the gentle scratches increasing, "Oh, yeah… It's so sweet… Right there… I'm in heaven…!"

Judy smirked, "So you _do_ like being a dog!"

Nick countered, "I'm not a dog, but that doesn't mean I'm not sensitive to anything touching my fur. The squeezes, the scratches, and the fuzzies, they're like a treatment at the Mystic Springs Oasis to me." He gestured to the little Garnets with a grin, "It's like you said, anyone can be anything. If I'm supposed to be a…" He cleared his throat, "…dog, then these kids are supposed to be salonists."

Judy crossed her hips, "Boom! This proves that foxes are easy on the eyes and ears, but not on the fur. A fox's instincts didn't carry past the radar."

Nick rolled his eyes, "I'll forget you asked sooner or later."

The girl Garnet stopped caressing Nick's head and introduced herself, "Hey, Nick, Officer Hopps! I'm Henrietta, but everybody calls me Henry. My sister Elise's just over there."

Judy suggested, "Call me Judy."

Nick stretched to see the girl Henry was motioning to. Elise was, indeed, just about a year older. She walked up and shook the fox's paw, and Judy's in turn, "Hi, guess I don't need to introduce myself. Nice to meet you guys."

Judy returned the favor, "Same!"

Nick stated, "Your big sister's got an amazing place for the whole family to live in."

"Hey, hold on," Alicia interrupted. "You can't very well compliment it if you haven't seen it. Jude, Nick, follow me. I'll show you around the rooms." She turned to Judy, "Hope you like the living room, but it's only the first attraction. Isn't it great? My best friend, the face of the ZPD and hero to the city… How did you end up getting such a high promotion? How have you been since we last met? Was it hard on the streets? Were you okay?"

"Have I ever!" Judy laughed. "Boy, do I have a story to tell you!"

"Well, I don't think we have to worry about any conflicts when you guys visit," Jon smiled. "So drop in anytime!"

"Yes, it would be most wonderful," Amanda agreed.

Judy wrapped an arm across Alicia's shoulder, "So, how's new life in the big city?"

Alicia replied enthusiastically, "This is a brave new world to live in. And I _love_ it."

Judy shared her expression, "So do I."

In an instant, all eight shared the same thought about how they would get to know each other, and visit together, and enjoy life together. Judy's heart filled with hope and excitement. Life had never been more pleasant in Zootopia.

Never.


	6. New Challenges

Sometime in the afternoon, a business proposal was in the works at the headquarters of Walrus Tech Enterprises, one of Zootopia's most influential conglomerates purposed for the development of advanced technology and machinery as betterment for animal society, and of course, the seat of power for its current owner and ally of Judy Hopps, Lucius Walrus. Originally founded by merchant ancestors of the Walrus family in the 17th century as a merchant house, it was one among the oldest companies in Zootopia's history. The company began a dozen businesses started by the Walrus ancestors and a few family friends; with the revenue generated, they essentially improved the city's communication systems, automobiles, and structures. In the 19th century, Joshua Walrus and his heir Alan officially made it a corporate company. Alan, who was Lucius's great-great grandfather, erected various subsidiaries that energized the world's industrial revolution; more branches were created and diversified while others dwindled and were discarded. Along the years, it had developed from a merchant house to a large company, and its tradition of innovating the world's tools continued to this day.

When Lucius first met Judy and Nick, he introduced them to Walrus Applied Sciences. He obscured the branch's resources to provide them with high-tech equipment needed to bolster their war on crime, notably gear originally made for military use and modified into combative, non-threatening gadgets, such as the Tumbler and Judy's hydraulic glove. Recently, Walrus Tech's research and development department had produced specialized fabrics and materials, electromagnetic gyroscopic navigational satellite systems, anti-hemorrhagic agents, radiation stamping technology, rotor blades made of metal composites that had low radar signature, and special acoustic design. New tech meant new ways to fight crime. The dynamic duo bought and used these new products, keeping them out the public eye ever since.

"In Animal China, Lau Security Investments stands for dynamic new growth," a red panda named Lau Chin, a successful business mogul from the aforementioned foreign land, spoke to the rest of the board. "The joint Anichinese venture with Walrus Tech Enterprises will be a business powerhouse."

"Well, Mr. Lau…" Lucius stood upright. "I speak for the rest of the board in expressing our own excitement." He slightly turned his head to chairs, and they nodded in agreement. Amongst those on the board included an accountant, a sheep with black wool named Coleman Reese, who was perhaps the most visibly upset regarding his superior's immature behavior. His attitude was assertive and ill towards anyone he had the slightest disagreement with, and apparently, he was highly suspicious of the CEO's secretive methods. He little suspected that Lucius Walrus was supporting Judy and Nick from behind the scenes, and more so when he was striking a bargain with a businessman from a foreign land.

At the end of the meeting, the board members shuffled out the office, and Reese decided to speak to Lucius in person. He said, "Sir, I know that some members of the board are curious about the joint venture, but quite frankly, this is embarrassing. It would not only expand business, but our rights will be shared with a foreign company. At this rate, price ceilings will increase, and financial status will change dramatically."

"Mr. Reese, you worry about the joint venture," Lucius suggested. "Let me worry about current affairs."

Once he said this, the CEO was about to exit, until Reese interrupted, "It's done. The numbers are solid."

"Do them again," Lucius insisted. "That's a fine way to motivate change."

The consultant simply gave a scoff when his employer left.

It was apparent that Judy sent a private message to Lucius's iPhone an hour before the board meeting started; a request for new gadgetry capable of settling the city's panorama. After reading the schematics on the message list, he sent a reply, requesting Judy and Nick to rendezvous with him at Applied Sciences so that he would provide for them. At the same time, while the board was highly approval of the joint venture, Lucius was not entirely convinced. Chin Lau's company had grown roughly 8% annually like clockwork, taking the revenue stream off the chart, possibly illegal. He was considering cancelling the deal at a later time.

Right now, he had matters to attend to with some good friends.

* * *

Back at the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, Judy and Alicia laughed at the television screen, the antics of _The Muppets_ drawing them back to their childhood years. Alicia's younger siblings and Nick were out together at the poolside, allowing the two friends to reminisce as they pleased.

"Oh, oh, and remember this old catchphrase?" Judy held up her hand as if she was directing the show live. She joined Animal in impersonating his voice, " _Drum! Drum! Drum!_ Ha-ha! That never gets old." The duo cackled at that timeless gag.

"Boy, funny as heck every time, Jude!" Alicia agreed. They continued watching Gonzo the Great's crazy daredevil stunts, Swedish Chef's whimsical recipes, and to top off the classic episode, Statler and Waldorf's cantankerous opinions and heckling.

As the credits stopped rolling, Judy popped up and offered, "Let's watch another! Does it have Bernadette Pelicans? It's my all-time favorite episode."

"Actually, Jude, let's put that request on hold and have a little chat," Alicia's drop to sincerity startled the affable rabbit. "Y'know, for all time's sake?"

"Sure, why not?" Judy sat back down, facing her childhood friend.

"Do you remember a few years ago, before you joined the Police Academy, when I told you I was going on an extended vacation?" Alicia smiled.

"Oh, yeah! I remember," Judy nodded. "That's five years before I joined the ZPD. It's your vacation of impeccable timing! Just a couple of days after you left, you've been in on the medical business."

Alicia replied, "Right. My talent was so unparalleled and my IQ was so high that Internal Affairs begged me to be their new district attorney. That was five months ago."

Judy exclaimed, "You've been the DA for five months? And you never told me?"

Alicia confessed, "I've been a little busy with my colleagues and my assistant DA, Jason Dawes. He's my boyfriend, in case you're wondering. And I'm dating."

Judy was delighted of the news, "You have a boyfriend? You were dating? I'm so happy for you." She patted Alicia's back. Her delight turned to laughter, "I hope the two of you get married."

"Maybe someday, yeah," Alicia joked. "I hope the flowers are red like garnet. Plus, I'm gonna love it! Now you know it! Good thing it rhymes!" Alicia shared Judy's laughter, until it died down to a sigh. "I gotta say, life in the big city's complicated but wonderful. It's the immortal words of your captivating speech at the Academy, the day after you cracked the savage outbreak case. Isn't it great to have big dreams? I've taken my vacation while you've taken yours. You've spent your days taking down criminals, James Bond style."

"Well, in a way," Judy smiled back. "Solving my first case to finding a missing otter, which turned into a mission to prevent a savage outbreak, was the best thing that ever happened to me. The big animals now think of me as a real cop."

"Yeah, I've read the records about your dilemma when you first walked into the ZPD," Alicia admitted. "You start out as a meter maid, then you decided to break the rules, and that resulted in the exposé of Bellwether's savage epidemic. At first, I thought it was a joke for the force to relegate you, but your blatant disregard for the rules was a bit…" She hardened her fingers, "…underwhelming. Though it's a bummer for a cop, folks can't deny your incredible talent and charisma, even from your friend, Nick. And that's what made you the face of the ZPD. You're like a superstar cop, an off-duty cop like Steve St. James! Heck, you even got your own fanbase!"

Judy titled her head in puzzlement, "Yeah, you know how the comic book heroes have fan clubs?"

Alicia understood her concerns, "The Judy Hopps Police Department, no joke. Otherwise known as the JHPD. They even cosplayed you."

Judy sighed, "That explains why bunnies from all over try to dress up and fight like me." She then smiled, "All and all, it's a good thing. If Bat-Bat can inspire good by catching crooks before leaving them to the cops, then I think I'm fine."

"While I'm proud of you being a big city cop after all the hardships and tribulations, I'm also a little curious," Alicia straightened herself, her face lacing a serious expression. "Whenever you operate, you just drive around with fancy gadgets equipped in your police car and blow stuff out of the sky. Was it necessary? It sounds like property damage."

Judy's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

Alicia replied, "Nothing. I just thought I'd like to know more about your..." She cleared her throat, "…personal experience. Your method of catching criminals is unlike anything an ordinary cop does. It's like you're an extraordinary cop, a cut above the rest. And while a great many people see you as a hero and a symbol, there are some who think you're a vigilante, some who think you're crazy."

Judy was worried that Alicia was upset. She thought she would accuse her for her rebellious attitude in the force. She hastily responded, "Ali, calm down! I'm just doing my job, and I have no qualms about it. I _am_ a real cop!"

Alicia countered, "Yeah, right, a real cop with a super-advanced car that can _raze the entire side of a building!_ Some people think you're nuts, go over the cuckoo clock!"

Judy asserted, "If I was gonna go nuts, I would've done so already. I did what I had to do to get by. Crime is always around, sneaking in the shadows and waiting for the opportunity to hurt somebody. That's why I had to come prepared. Ordinary cops can't cope with a crime that's impossible to solve, so I had to do something. If it's any new case from headquarters, that's fine by me." She waved her paws, "I'm doing whatever it takes to keep the city safe, so just chill!"

"Chill?! I'm not mad with you! I'm just asking you!" Alicia pouted. "Sure, it's a little bit of property damage and reckless endangerment, but it's not so bad. That's what being a hero is all about. You recognized a threat, you took action, and you did the best you could." She smiled warmly, "Best friends trust each other. It's okay to share big secrets. We understand one another." Her paw touched her heart, "As bunny citizens, we do our best to protect the things that matter to us." Her smile faded, and she let out a deep sigh, "Mom, Dad, Andrew, Henry, and Elise… If anything happened to them, I don't know what I'd do. They're a part of my life. You have a family too, Jude. You know how it is."

"I do, Ali," Judy nodded. "I joined the force not just for myself, but for my family. For all my friends. Without their support, I wouldn't have made it this far. I chose to do what I did because of them. That's what motivated me."

"So did I, Judy," Alicia's smile returned. "So did I." Her mind focusing on the thought of her family, she grabbed on to a comforting tangent, "You know, this past Christmas, Henry played in the school musical, a rendition of _Les Misérables._ She was Cosette, and she played it so well! _A Castle on the Clouds,_ as they say. That's all we heard for a month leading up to the play, and for a week after." Judy saw Alicia's eyes brimming with pride, focused on the memory of her younger sister reciting her lines endlessly. "Oh, and guess what? Andrew's gonna join the science fair with a microscope he invented from paper tubes and sunglasses! He's so smart, he just sits cross-legged in his room for an hour or two at a time just poring over arts and crafts. And I know he's an inventor. At any rate, he'll win first prize."

Judy smiled with understanding; fun and games were something her 275 brothers and sisters had gone through as well. "Ali, I would never do anything to hurt your family. They're sweet and lovely, all of them."

Alicia said jovially, "You didn't think I was lying, did ya?" She let out a laugh until it died down, and the conversation returned to a normal atmosphere. "So, Jude, I heard you're keeping tabs with the Mob and a clown called the Joker."

Judy nodded, "Yeah. I've been investigating a string of bank robberies. The recent one was Savanna Central, a bank run by the Mob. The Joker's goons wear these clown masks, and they kill not only people visiting at a time, but also each other. Killing themselves off is kinda… weird."

Alicia said confidently, "You're the super cop, Jude. You'll eventually figure out the methods of both the Mob and the Joker. Heck, even cops can go undercover as clowns, strike at the open, and cart 'em off to jail. On top of that, you have pals from the force." He gestured to herself, "And you've got a friend who's a district attorney. You're not alone in this fight."

"Say, I've got an idea!" Judy stood up, a thought crossing her mind. "People 'round the streets were gossiping about a dream collaboration between me and you, right? So let's form a team! You, me, and Nick will make a great team, and together, we'll take care of Joker and the Mob. We'll show those sickos a thing or two. It'll be the coolest thing ever!"

"I'd love to!" Alicia accepted the offer. "But first things first. Right now, our priority is to look into the Mob's resources. That way, we'll uncover the Mob bosses, one by one. And the Joker? He's just a clown wearing birthday props for over a year. He can wait."

"Yeah, you're right," Judy agreed. "Oh, and Ali?" She enveloped Alicia in an embrace, "Thanks for not giving up on me. I thought you'd not want anything to do with me anymore."

"Let's just let the topic go. What's done is done," Alicia returned the hug. "And, hey…" She popped up, "Now that the interrogation is closed, let's get to that Bernadette Pelicans episode you requested, and then I invite you as my honored guest in the buffet tonight. It's on the ground floor. Jason's coming, too."

"Um, I don't know…" Judy said nervously. "I don't have any fancy clothes, and most of my money's at my apartment…"

"Aw, c'mon!" Alicia chuckled. "Did you forget that I own the whole place? That's makes me the manager. No charges involved for anyone who's a friend. And you're free to peruse the closet."

"Really?" Judy asked hopefully. "You're inviting us? No charge?"

"Sure!" Alicia beamed. "You're the VIP!"

"What about Nick?"

"Oh, I'm sure he's got his paws full with Andrew, Henry, and Elise…"

* * *

"Nick, your turn! Go long!"

Henry threw her bright red Frisbee into the air, and it sailed over the ground. Nick, unable to resist his biological instincts as a fox, sprinted across the grass and, when the toy was at a reasonable height, leaped into the sky. He twisted his body around, snatched it right out of the air, and rotated all the rest of the way for a perfect four-paw landing. The game never got old!

"Good boy!" Henry grinned from ear to ear as Nick trotted back proudly with the disc in mouth and handed it back.

"Say, this is kinda fun!" Nick admitted. "Throw it again!"

Henry obliged and threw the Frisbee again, and the fox raced after it. About twenty feet away, little Andrew was wading in the swimming pool, riding a rubber boat while playing a game in his aqua-resistant PlayStation Vita. Flexing the buttons, he cried happily, "Yeah! Take that, Vanitas!" He refused to allow the rubber boat's fledgling movement to keep him from expressing his enjoyment.

* * *

That evening, Alicia was still wearing her garnet dress, the only addition being a brownish fur sash around her neck. This time, she accompanied her boyfriend/assistant DA, Jason, into the Palmtrees' wide-open buffet restaurant. It was very elegant in decoration, and equally plain in its furniture. As such, it was nothing to turn up one's nose at. Still, big as it was, the cavernous restaurant wasn't big enough to seat all the customers at once. The lines for certain food vendors were often long; if you didn't get a spot early on, you were liable to run out of time before you reached the front.

The legal couple sat themselves at a table reserved for three. Alicia stated, "You know, it took me less than thirty minutes to get the employees to reserve a table for us."

Jason smiled, "Oh, really?"

Alicia shrugged, "I own the place, remember? I'm not afraid to pull strings."

"Sorry I'm late!" a familiar voice echoed. The two turned to see Judy scurrying to the table, wearing a fashionable orange dress after gaining permission from the Garnets. She examined the male rabbit sitting next to Alicia, "Ali wasn't kidding that she had a boyfriend. Fancy that…"

"Ah, yes, fancy that," Jason admired, "You must be Judy Hopps…" He added with biting sarcasm, "…the hero of Zootopia." He chuckled, before his voice reverted to normal, "Oh, manners. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jason Dawes, assistant district attorney and boyfriend to Alicia Garnet. It's an honor to meet you. Alicia told me everything about you."

Judy eagerly shook his paw, "I hope she hasn't..."

Jason looked around, "Is Nick Wilde with you?"

Judy confessed, "Sorry, he won't be with us tonight. He's got his hands full. I hope you'll understand."

Alicia gave a signal to waiters nearby, before she turned to Judy, "Please, sit with us."

 **Later, as the three sat together…**

Jason asked playfully, "So, where did you make your home in Zootopia? Is it the city limits? How can you expect to raise baby rabbits there?"

Judy replied, "Well, since Ali's the new DA, I thought I might wanna know her jurisdiction ends."

Jason shook his head, "I was referring to a city that idolizes a cop acting like a vigilante."

Alicia smiled, "Zootopia's proud to have a good cop like Judy to stand up for what's right. Everybody needs good cops."

"But Zootopia needs heroes like you, better ones, like elected officials. Not someone who thinks they're above the law," Jason firmly believed. He pointed a thumb at Judy, "I mean, when did Mayor Leodore Lionheart assign her to Precinct One?"

"Actually, it was me," Judy interjected. "I graduated at the Academy, and I'm the first rabbit in the Mammal Inclusion Initiative."

"Lionheart wasn't the only one who appointed her. We _all_ did," Alicia pointed out. "All of us who stood by and let scum take control of our city."

Jason deadpanned, "But this is a democracy, Red."

"Here's some History 101," Alicia began. "When their enemies were at the gates, the Romans would suspend democracy and appoint one animal to protect the city. It wasn't considered an honor; it was considered a public service."

"But the last Roman appointed to protect the republic was named Caesar, and he never gave up his power," Jason stated.

"Yeah, pretty much," Alicia admitted. "Heroes come and go, but when they're out on the battlefield, their judgment can become clouded in an instant. Sometimes you see things that simply aren't there, even after the fight has passed. You can continue to fight, whether you endure every hardship and remain a hero…" She paused to let it sink in, "…or you realize that the more you fight, you see yourself becoming a villain. I mean, heroes don't have to fight evil for the rest of their lives. I mean, how could they? Sometimes they need to take a break, spend the day off, and find someone to hand over the mantle."

Judy wondered, "Someone like you?"

Alicia shrugged, "Maybe. If I'm up to it. If I were sneaking out every night like Judy in a romantic fashion, someone would have realized it by now." She popped up and clasped her paws together, "Well, I'm sold! Judy, as a token of your visit, I'd like to invite you and your friends and family to a party in my penthouse."

Judy exclaimed shockingly, "You're inviting everybody?! Mom and Dad? My friends from Bunnyburrow?"

Alicia nodded, "Absolutely! I'll have the chefs prepare the best food. It's a time of celebration, a time between friends and relatives. No charge!"

Judy blushed embarrassedly, "I don't know... What would my parents say?"

Alicia smiled assuredly, "I'm a friend of the family. They'll let it slide, I'm sure of it. And they'll definitely love it."

This was an opportunity the young rabbit officer would never turn down. Her close ones from Bunnyburrow paying a visit to a popular district attorney wasn't such a bad thing.

"Yeah. They _definitely_ will."


	7. The Proposal

Up to twenty years ago, the brick façade on the outskirts of Zootopia had housed _Kranz's Subs and Soups._ A streak of poor investment led to bank repossession. Since then, no one had cared to even consider the property, and it decayed more and more by the hour. The once colorful sign had faded, junk and dead leaves littered the floor, and over half the windows were replaced with cheap wooden boards. Not even vandals bothered the hollow shell any more, which made it perfect for its present purpose.

In what had once been the dining room, the tables were all lined up into a single rectangle. Chairs had been arranged accordingly, and a total of seven Mob bosses were seated. A collection of bodyguards and assistants surrounded them, bearing witness to this summit of power. Among the Mob bosses congregated were Salvatore Pappagello, who had been acquitted from the previous trial, his business partner Gambol, a grizzly bear and ringleader in charge of illegal gambling and extortion, and the drug-trafficker Pinguino, who had recently entered after passing through the metal detector. At the head of the table was seated a television set carried by a pair of two weasel thugs.

"Alright, everybody, the meeting has officially come to order," Pappagello announced. "Does our _benefactor_ have something to discuss with us?"

"Are you serious?" Pinguino snorted. "Our money-launderer's talking to us from a small, crappy TV?"

Pappagello sighed irritably, "While we wait for him, let's get down to business." He motioned to an assistant peacock, "How are our operations going, Mr. Logan?"

Mr. Logan produced a piece of paper in a case file. He reported, "Our funds have continued to decline over the past month. Our attempts to buy more into the stock market triggered a federal investigation, which we were just barely able to pay our way out of. Also, our drug manufacturing subsidiary finally went under, so that's another enterprise folded." Noticing the fuming glare coming from some of the Mob bosses, the peacock began to sweat. He nervously added, "On the bright side, we were able to liquidate most of its assets." Mr. Logan flipped a page, "Our associates in the city's ecosystems have had a mixed month. Contacts in Sahara Square, Tundratown, and the Rainforest District have come under increasing public pressure, and some have begun to sever their affiliations to us. We have managed, though, to keep what hold we have left within the Bagheera Trading Company." Looking up to check the simmering silence coming from the Mob bosses, he continued, "47% of our operative rings in the city, while also encountering increased resistance from the authorities, have pledged renewed support for us." Folding the files, Mr. Logan commented, "I highly doubt, however, the sincerity of their statements."

"Damn it all," Pappagello growled. "That district attorney Alicia Garnet's good at everything. Not just her, but Hopps the Super-Cop as well. Because of those two bunny bitches, we lost a lot of men, a lot of resources, and the influence to pull it off. And with the robberies over the past weeks, we're losing money fast!" He slumped in his birdcage, and then started to chuckle a little, albeit sarcastically. "Look how pathetic we are. We used to be on top of the world, we had the city in the palm of our hands, and now what?" He motioned around the decrepit diner, shouting with outrage, "We're holding a meeting in a _dump!_ We don't even have to hide; anyone who looks in thinks we're a bunch of homeless bums staying warm!"

Gambol interjected, "And now, we're being pickpocketed by a bunch of idiotic circus-folk, led by some purple-loving freak who has nothing better to do than steal our money."

"Boys!" Pinguino interrupted, holding up a flipper. "It's on!"

Right on cue, the television switched on, showing images of white static until it faded into none other than Lau Chin, the same Chinese businessman who was negotiating a deal with the board members of Walrus Tech Enterprises.

"Oh, it's you, Mr. Lau," Pappagello recognized. "Our associate in charge of money-laundering. Anything to report?"

"As you are all aware, one of our deposits was stolen," Lau reported. "A relatively minor sum about $68 million."

Pinguino glared, "Who the hell is stupid enough to steal from us?"

Pappagello answered, "From what Gambol described, he's a two-bit whack job wearing a cheap purple suit and make-up." He then scoffed, "He's not a problem at all. He's a nobody." His face turned serious, "But the real problem is our money being tracked by the cops."

Lau stated, "Thanks to Mr. Pappagello's ever reliable sources, we have indeed discovered that the Zootopia Police Department have identified our banks via marked bills, and are planning to seize your funds today."

* * *

Roughly around the same time, a dispatched force of ZPD officers led by Lieutenant Cluck began their raid on the Mob banks. He, along with a team of SWATs, surrounded one of the banks, while the other banks were also being covered by the other Precincts.

* * *

"And since the enthusiastic new district attorney has put all of my competitors out of business, I'm your only option," Lau concluded.

Pappagello questioned, "So what are you proposing?"

Lau answered, "Moving all deposits to one secure location. Not a bank."

Gambol asked, "Where then?"

"No one can know but me," Lau affirmed. "If the police were to get leverage over one of you, everyone's money would be at stake."

Pinguino wondered, "Who would stop them from getting to you?"

Lau replied, "I go to Bamboo Kamboo in Animal China, free from Alicia Garnet's jurisdiction, and the Anichinese would not extradite one of their own."

Pappagello asked, "How soon can we move the money?"

"I already have," Lau assured. "For obvious reasons, I could not wait for your permission. Rest assured, gentlemen, your money is safe with me."

* * *

And true enough, the trucks left away with the unlimited stashes to a secure location known only to Lau. Cluck and his men found very little traces of the dirty cash in an empty vault. The more they investigated, the more they came to discover that Lau, who had been a supporter for the Mob, had already left in his private jet to the Asian continent. Cluck started working himself in a frenzy, and kicked a stack of marked bills out of frustration.

* * *

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed across the meeting room. Everyone jumped at the unexpected interruption, and turned towards the metal detector to see the exact trouble Gambol had been ranting about moments before. The jackal known as the Joker began a slow, mocking laugh as he strolled inside. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ho-hee-aha-ha-oo-hee-ha-ha-ha..." The same clown that robbed the Savanna Central Bank earlier still wore that freakish grin on his face, along with the deathly white makeup and the dirty green dye on his fur. "And I thought _my_ jokes were bad."

Gambol growled, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have my boy here pull your head off."

"How about a magic trick, instead?" the Joker asked insanely. He took out a pencil from the pocket of his purple waistcoat and jabbed its sharp end on top of the table. He twirled his fingers around it, "I'm gonna make this pencil disappear."

Gambol motioned his muscle to take out the unwanted intruder. As the thug walked up to his intended target, the Joker remarked, "I have a volunteer…" Before the bodyguard could act, the clown deftly wrapped both of his paws onto his would-be assassin and slammed it against the pencil, stabbing it through his brain. " **TA-DAAAH!** " The grizzly bear was limp, his head stained with blood. "It's gone!"

The entire assembly recoiled; some crime lords were impressed, while the others were filled with horror; Gambol, however, was appalled by this insult. The Joker stood grinning devilishly, both arms raised in a gesture of pride at having completed his trick so successfully. "Oh," he suddenly shifted his mood. "I guess I'll just take my own seat, since none of you are polite enough to offer me one." He sat down at the far end facing the Big Seven. "And by the way, the suit, it wasn't cheap. You oughta know, you bought it."

Outraged by the heinous act, Gambol stood upright, about to vent his rage on the clown.

"Sit," Pinguino motioned with his flipper. For some reason, his calm composure never wavered. "I want to hear his proposition."

Reluctantly, the grizzly bear Mob boss returned to his chair. He attempted to control his temper and demanded, "Why are you here?"

The Joker replied, "I just happened to be strolling by, and I couldn't help but overhear your meeting. And I think I might be able to help you."

Pappagello furrowed his brow in confusion, and looked at his associates for input. They glanced from him to the Joker and back again, seemingly curious about the proposition. "Very well," the parrot relented. "What's your offer?"

The Joker began his proposal, "Let's wind the clocks back to what you were saying before I jumped in here. A year ago, these cops and lawyers wouldn't dare to cross _any_ of you. I mean, what happened? Did your balls drop off? Hmm? You see, a guy, like me…"

"A freak?" Gambol forced the joke out, provoking a chuckle in the assembly.

The Joker ignored him and continued, "A guy like me…" He paused, clicking his teeth, "No, listen." He gestured with his paws constantly for emphasis, "I know why you guys chose to have your little _group therapy sessions_ in private places instead of public. I know why you're afraid to act on the outside world." He paused to let it sink in, "Judy Hopps. The bunny cop."

The assembly shifted uncomfortably at the mention. The rabbit had been a touchy issue around the Mob since she became the public face of the ZPD. After all, any animal would be embarrassed by being defeated by a little rabbit.

The Joker resumed, "You see, Hopps has shown Zootopia your true colors, unfortunately. It's only because of her that you have to tip-top throughout the slums. Your constant running around with armfuls of cash is pitiful. Your ex-thugs, thrown in the slammer, they're pitiful as well. About Alicia Garnet, the other bunny who's become our new district attorney… Well, she's just the beginning. And as for the TV's so-called plan..." He motioned to Lau on the screen, "Hopps is a spunky, rebellious off-duty cop. When she finds out, she'll find him, and make him _squeal._ " The Joker clenched his fists, exemplifying the action. Lau, in particular, began sweating at the thought of being at the mercy of the bunny cop who had single-handedly leveled hundreds of Mob crooks, and adjusted nervously. "And I know the squealers when I see 'em." The Joker gestured to the TV, "You are a squealer."

Irritated by this remark, Lau shut off his video feed. Ignoring the cancelled meeting, Pinguino asked, "Are you hear to insult us, or do you have this so-called plan you boasted about?"

"It's simple," the Joker paused for effect. "We kill Judy Hopps."

A good portion of the Mob laughed, and Pappagello spoke out, "If it's so _simple,_ then why haven't you done it already?"

The Joker responded, "My father used to say, if you're good at something, never do it for free."

Pinguino, still smiling from the unintended humor, mockingly inquired, "And how much are you charging for your pest control service, eh?"

"Um…" the Joker pondered, until he answered. "Half."

Naturally, the jeers and laughs increased in response to this ridiculous offer. Gambol, who had been becoming more and more livid by the second at this irreverent trespasser, grumbled, "You're crazy."

"No, I'm not. No, I'm not…" the Joker shook his head. He looked around at the congregation, "If we don't do something about this now, pretty soon…"He threw up his paws in mock uncertainty, gesturing at Gambol, "Little Gambol here won't be able to get a nickel from his grizzly grandma."

" **ENOUGH FROM THE CLOWN!** " Throwing a massive tantrum, Gambol got to his feet and slammed his claws against the table. The grizzly bear seemed more intent on tearing the jackal to shreds. But…

"Ah-da-da-da-da! Not so fast!" the Joker quickly stood up and pulled the left side of his purple jacket to reveal a makeshift device comprised of several grenades with a trigger rigged to his right thumb. All members of the Mob stood up and gasped, frightened of what the clown was threatening to do. "Let's not _blow_ things out of proportion here."

Gambol's fear took a backseat to his rage. He snarled, "You think you can steal from us and just walk away?!"

"Yeah."

"I'm gettin' the word out!" Gambol declared. "Five hundred grand for this clown dead! A million alive, so I can teach him some manners first!"

The Joker remained unfazed, but began slowly backing away. He said, "Alright, I see you're a bit cranky right now. Probably skipped naptime today. Feel free to give me a call, when you all want to start taking things a little more seriously. Here's my card." He held up a joker playing card in his gloved paw, before he placed it on the table. As he approached the doors, he kicked them open with his foot, and was gone.


	8. Why So Serious?

"…and then, this weasel appeared out of nowhere and stole my purse!"

Mrs. Otterton was relaying her recent emergency to Benjamin Clawhauser, the Precinct One dispatcher. The last time she entered the police station, it was the previous year when she desperately pleaded Chief Bogo to help find her husband, Emmitt, who had been a victim in the savage outbreak. She had almost given up hope if Judy hadn't volunteered for the case despite Bogo's protests. In the end, Emmitt was found, turned into a savage as a result of Bellwether's machinations. After Bellwether's defeat, that information led to an antidote for the Night Howler serum to heal the infected predators. Mrs. Otterton owed Judy a debt of unpaid gratitude for saving her husband's life. She would often come over and say hi to the revered bunny cop, share a meal perhaps, and simply chat between briefings and/or case closings. The pleasant conversation was, by all means, preferable over the alternative.

"And that's what happened," Mrs. Otterton concluded her story. "I tried to run after the weasel, but he was too fast. My purse is stolen, and with it, the tickets to the ball game tomorrow morning I promised my kids to take. They would be so upset."

"Weasel, huh? I think I've seen that kind of weasel before," Clawhauser replied to the otter, eating a doughnut in his box. He continued, his gorged mouth spilling some crumbs, "I heard there's a small-time weasel crook in Savanna Central stealing fruits, veggies, daisies, and a dozen moldy onions from a small store." He rubbed his chin, "But I forgot his name. I think his name is…"

Before the obese cheetah could make an assumption, the sound of the doors bursting open caught his and Mrs. Otterton's attention. They turned to see a rope-bound Duke Weaselton ricocheting inside and slamming his head against the front of the desk, before he fell to the ground, dazed. At that moment, Judy Hopps rushed in, heroically posing as usual. "I popped the weasel again!"

"I'm busted again!" Duke pouted. "I was making a break until Mopsy the Cospy wrecked it."

"And guess what I found." Judy reached her back to reveal a small pink purse, which caused the female otter to brim with delight.

"My purse! You found it!" Mrs. Otterton raced forward and gave Judy a comforting hug, the rabbit returning it. "Oh, bless you. Bless you, little bunny. You helped me again."

"Anytime," Judy replied with a grin. "Helping others is what we do at the ZPD."

"Hopps!" the authoritative voice of Chief Bogo attracted Judy's ears, and she turned to see the buffalo in question giving a signal from the balcony, his expression sporting a serious lacing. "Come into my office. And apparently, there's a guest waiting for you."

"Someone's waiting for me?" Judy wondered.

* * *

While the weasel was put into custody, Judy had been brought to Chief Bogo's office, and instead of either a random scolding for disobeying rules and orders, or a pat on the shoulder for a job well done, the meeting was turned into a small congregation. To her relief, Alicia Garnet was one among the discussers.

"Good to have you aboard, Jude!" Alicia greeted cheerily. "I was wondering how the other cops were retrieving you from a random district. We can't start the meeting without our hero cop."

"And it's mandatory for all officers to be on time for the meeting," Bogo added sternly. "We've been waiting for an hour, and you haven't answered my calls!"

"I haven't?" Judy realized her mistake. "Sweet cheese and crackers! I'm so sorry I missed your calls." She came over to Alicia's side, "I've been a little busy popping weasels and satisfying some otters." Bogo gave his response in the form of an exasperated grunt, unable to deny the ferocity and rebellious attitude that earned her recognition. Judy then resumed the topic, "By the way, what's this about?"

"Oh, probably something dull," Alicia sighed. "I backed warrants for the ZPD Precincts to seize five banks under supervision of the Mob. Unfortunately, before the Precincts could secure the Mob's deposits, somebody moved them away."

Judy asked, "What kind of whack-job is crazy enough to move their dirty cash?"

Alicia answered, "Lau Chin, a red panda from Animal China who's an accountant representing a foreign company called Lau Security Investments. Technically, he's the CEO of the company. In reality, he's a Triad boss in charge of money-laundering deals for the Mob."

Judy snapped her fingers, "Darn, those Mob bosses are craftier than I thought, even more so than that Joker guy! If only I found out sooner, or my fellow cops were fast enough…"

Alicia stated bitterly, "Apparently, your fellow cops are lazy, cranky, and grouchy to get the job done. They hardly do anything, let alone eat a donut!" Judy was forced to laugh at this wisecrack. Bogo, on the other hand, was upset that the rabbit district attorney was insulting both his pride and his Precinct. "Sure, they're lazy, but I guess they're fine. They did their best to serve the force. But not as great as you or Lieutenant James Cluck, and I meant no offense to Ben Clawhauser, who I often share a donut with at his desk."

Judy asked, "You and Clawhauser know each other?"

Alicia smiled, "Whenever I visit this Precinct, I'd often share a little chat with the cheetah. We're pretty much alike in some hobbies. Our favorite singer is Gazelle, we eat Little Dickens Donuts, and we have incredible dance talent."

Judy reminisced, "Speaking of dancing, do you remember we used to go to prom night? You broke the house down with your amazing dance moves! You became the prom queen because of it."

Alicia nodded, "All those _Beatmania_ lessons finally paid off. I needed to get myself pumped up with energy."

Judy agreed, "Like a battery!"

"And energy is the exact thing needed for lazy cops in Bogo's unit," Alicia's expression turned bitter again, and she cast an accusing glare at Bogo. "Lazy, arrogant, incompetent… Man, put a lid on it already! I wish this Precinct would have some more energetic, more confident cops like Judy. It would liven things up a—"

"Shut it, Garnet!" Bogo snapped, banging his fist on the desk. "My detectives did the very best they could to keep the situation under control!"

"Sure you did," Alicia rolled her eyes. "Did I stutter that Lau's already in Bamboo Kamboo? If you could've asked me for help, I could've taken his passport. I told you to keep me in the loop." Her glare intensified, "And what gives you the nerve to tell me to 'shut it?'"

"All that was left in the banks' vaults were marked bills!" Bogo scrambled from the desk into a standing position, gritting his teeth. "They knew we were coming! If you and your office haven't involved—"

" **MY OFFICE?!** " Alicia demanded angrily, and she leaped at the top of the desk. She stood up straight, confronting the buffalo face to face. "You sit here in your desk all day, thinking you know what's going on? You don't know! You don't know when crime and violence could strike at any moment! You don't even look out the windows when you ride a police car down the street! So you, of all people, were sitting down in Precinct One with scum like Woltz and Ramirez, and you're talking—" She paused, challenging Bogo to respond. "Oh, yeah! That's right… I almost had your new recruit, who's a skunk, by the way, caught at a racketeering beat!"

Bogo retorted, "Don't try to cloud the fact that Pappagello's got people in _your_ office, Garnet!"

Alicia scoffed, "My jurisdiction is a corrupt foundation?" She lowered her eyes and leered at Bogo's. "I don't blame your cops for doing their job, and I know you don't blame me for doing mine. Although, on top of all else, they did a sloppy job. They should've acted faster, but they did not. One top of that issue, there's the fact that you haven't done anything to aid the working classes, especially Judy."

"I haven't done anything?!" Bogo couldn't believe his ears. "My Precinct is the best in the ZPD! It has the best cops, the best resources, and the best abilities! So how dare _you…_ " His voice rose to a roar, and Judy flinched at the tone, "…come into my office and say I haven't done anything?!"

"Be careful who you're talking to, punk!" Alicia growled, pointing a finger at the buffalo. "I can easily file a suit against you for badmouthing the DA!"

" **YOU WOULDN'T DARE!** "

" **I WOULD! I CAN SUE ANYONE WHENEVER THE HELL I WANT TO!** "

" **YOU'RE CHALLENGING ME, SMALL FRY?!** "

" **I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY, BUFFALO FOR BRAINS!** "

As the meeting escalated into an argument, the two shouting blasphemies and criticisms against each other, Judy watched with outrage. Finding the tensions between her best friend and the police chief intolerable, she hopped on top of the desk and spread out her arms before they could brawl.

"Guys, stop!" Judy interrupted with a loud, clear voice. Alicia and Bogo stopped mid-sentence and whipped their heads to the rabbit in shock. "We're getting nowhere fast! This isn't gonna help us get the Mob's money back!"

And just like that, the argument was over. Awkward silence filled the room, as reason could be felt gushing from one side of the room onto the other. Even Bogo, gasping for something to retort, was at a loss for words. Just then, the intercom beeped, and Clawhauser's voice spoke through the speaker. " _Chief! Another customer's waiting at the door!_ "

"Clawhauser, can't you see I'm in the middle of a meeting? Save it at a later time," Bogo pressed the button and gave a grumpy reply, before he released it. For now, at least, it seemed to be the only thing distracting him from his rage.

"Seriously, Ali, you need to cool down a bit," Judy suggested to her fuming friend, who was beginning to take steady breaths. "If you'd just relaxed and thought things through, you'd never have to lose your degree."

"You're right," Alicia took Judy's advice to heart. "This is just me trying to save five years of anger management class." One relaxed breath, and she patted her friend's back, "Thanks, Jude. You're here for me when I needed you most." She gave a light-hearted chuckle, "I almost tore off the head of Chief Buffalo Butt back there!" She gestured to Bogo, who simply sighed in annoyance.

"Anything for a friend," Judy smiled back, patting Alicia's back as well. "And friends stick together like glue." With that, the three sat back to their chairs.

"Okay, now that we've calmed down, let's recap," Alicia cleared her throat. "The Mob moved their money to someplace hidden, and only Lau knows where it is. We need him back, but the other problem is, the Anichinese won't extradite a national under any circumstances."

Judy asked, "If we can get him back, can you get him to talk?"

Alicia smirked, "I'll do better than that. I'll get him to sing karaoke with me."

Judy pointed out, "Things are gonna get ugly when we go after Lau and the Mob's life savings."

Alicia responded, "I knew the risks when I took this job, Judy. And any risk to help lots of animals, I'm willing to take it."

Bogo was beginning to show signs of disturbance. Whatever those two bunnies were about to do, it was the maddest of all plans. Judy drew herself from her chair to her full height. She spoke, "Alicia's right. We need Lau back. I'll go to Animal China, find him, and bring him back to Zootopia."

"What on Earth?!" Bogo leapt up, his face wide with shock. "You're going to Animal China to steal a red panda?! That is the craziest idea I've ever heard!"

"Think about it, Chief!" Judy waved her paws for emphasis. "Without Lau, how are we supposed to find the Mob's life savings and expose them like the bad guys they are? It's the only way. I'm going to Animal China, but I won't be alone. I'm bringing along my partner Nick, and we'll blend in under the guise that we're tourists passing through. When the opportunity presents itself, we'll catch Lau and make a getaway. It's easy as carrot pie! It's like a super-secret spy mission, thought Nick and I never did that before…"

"Sounds like a big plan. And a difficult one, at best," Alicia rubbed her chin. She then gave an approving smile, "I _love_ the way you think, Jude!"

"Thanks, Ali. I knew I can count on you," Judy smiled back. "Just leave everything to me."

"This is absurd!" Bogo argued. "How are you, of all animals, supposed to—"

To his surprise, Judy had completely left the office. For some reason, Alicia's confidence never wavered.

"She does that."

* * *

 **The next day, at Walrus Tech Enterprises…**

"Mr. Walrus?"

Lucius looked up from his desk to see his secretary arriving at his office. "Yes?"

"Miss Judy Hopps and Mr. Nick Wilde are waiting in the office, just as you requested."

A slight feeling of hope ran down Lucius's back. He complied, "Send them in."

The secretary departed, and after a few seconds, Judy and Nick entered the office, dressed in their normal clothing. The two animals seemed friendly and jovial enough, particularly about not just the mission, but the new gadgets Lucius built specially for them. Hours before the private meeting began, Lucius received another message, and it read the same message requesting new gadgetry, this time, speaking of the kind that would help them infiltrate Animal China and retrieve Lau with ease while evading the foreign authorities.

"Ah, Miss Hopps and Mr. Wilde! Fancy meeting you here," Lucius greeted. "Please, come in. You're always welcome here. And I know why you've come today."

Nick eyed the brown-striped suit the walrus was wearing, "I gotta say, the new outfit you're wearing is fantastic. It reminds me of the crystal-brown chandelier in my place."

Lucius said appreciatively, "Oh, really? Thank you. I have a collection of suits back at my house."

Judy asked her fox friend, "You have a chandelier at your place? Just like Alicia's?"

Nick smirked, "My place isn't all grease and loud neighbors, like I told you. And if I remember correctly, I asked you to come with me."

Judy smiled slyly, "I'll think it over. Right now, the only place I'm going to is the Land of the Dragons." She turned to Lucius, "Can we take seats?"

"By all means," Lucius accepted. "And try to keep this brief. I have company matters to attend to."

 **Thirty minutes of conversation and planning later…**

"…our Anichinese friend already left Zootopia before I could tell him that the joint venture was cancelled," Lucius narrated, as he walked to a bookcase near his desk, with Judy and Nick following suit.

Judy said, "Well, I'm sure you've already wanted to go to Bamboo Kamboo, and so have I. When I was a kid, the only places I ever visited with my family were Los Animales, New Yankee, and Porcuparis." She shook with glee, "This is gonna be my first time! Though the trip's short and the mission always comes first, I'm gonna be glad that I came." She turned to Nick, "What place did you visit, Nick?"

Nick rubbed his forehead, "Well, my memory of taking a vacation with my parents is a bit fuzzy, but I think the only places I visited were South Delgado or the Cayfox Islands. I heard it's the birthplace of foxes, according to legend."

Judy replied, "Yes, it is. I know my history lessons. Maybe someday, you'd take me to those places."

Nick agreed, "Sounds good." He shifted to Lucius, "How about you, Lucius? Have you always wanted to visit Bamboo Kamboo?"

Lucius pressed a hidden switch underneath one of the shelves. He responded, "I figured we'd use a phone call."

Judy replied, "I think Lau deserves a more… personal touch."

With that said, the bookcase split open to reveal a secret elevator behind it, and the three entered. Moments later, they found themselves in the underground level of the company building: a completely redesigned, enlarged Applied Sciences division.

Lucius inquired, "Now, for high-altitude jumps, you two are going to require oxygen and stabilizers."

Nick wondered, "Oxygen and stabilizers? What does that mean?"

Judy answered, "It means we're gonna have to jump real high. To do that, we need to wear a suit."

Nick confirmed, "Oh, I get it. We need to wear suits." He then paused, "Wait, what?"

As the three walked further into the vast room, Lucius continued, "I must say, compared to your _usual_ requests, jumping out of an airplane is pretty straight forward." He opened up a case that contained high-altitude equipment.

Judy asked, "And what about getting into the airplane?"

Lucius opened up a case that contained high-altitude equipment, "I recommend a good travel agent."

Judy added, "Without it landing."

Nick rubbed his chin, "I don't get what you're saying about stabilizer-thingies or jumping out of airplanes or whatever, but whatever the game is, I'm in. It sounds pretty convincing."

Judy wrapped her arm around the fox's chest, "I like your style, Slick."

"I couldn't agree more," Lucius nodded. "The Central Intelligence Animal Agency, or CIAA, had a program back in the 1960's for getting animals out of hot spots called _Skyhook_. You could look into that."

Nick grinned, " _Skyhook,_ huh? Works for us!"

Judy confirmed, "Uh-huh."

 **And so…**

Lucius pulled out a metal sliding drawer, revealing defensive armor plates painted black. Judy and Nick were very impressed. "These are hardened Kevlar plates over titanium-dipped tri-weave fibers for flexibility, compatible with your police uniforms." The rabbit took a piece of the armor to examine it. "You'll be lighter, faster, and more agile." Pressing some hidden switch on one of the new gauntlets, an extra row of fin blades popped out and immediately fired outwards several feet away, attaching themselves to one of the metal lockers, much to Judy and Nick's surprise. Lucius suggested, "Perhaps you should read the instructions."

"You're right, we should," Judy agreed, and she put the gauntlet back into the metal drawer.

"There is a catch, however," Lucius interjected. "Separation of the plates leaves you more vulnerable to blade attacks and gunfire."

Nick said smugly, "Well, we wouldn't want to make things too easy, now would we, Wet Wally?"

Lucius shrugged, "I find your attempt at humor disturbing, but admirable."

Judy asked, "How will it hold up against dogs?"

Lucius wondered, "Are we talking about Rottweilers or Chihuahuas? Should do fine against cats."

* * *

Sometime in the evening, Judy and Nick were planning the first phase of their mission within the privacy and security of Judy's room in the Grand Pangolin Arms. The rabbit asked, "Do you remember the first time I introduced you to my room, it's after we solved the case of a lynx's missing gold?"

Nick nodded, "Yeah, and I got a leg injury and you decided to heal it without taking me to the doctor? It took a while, but I was able to walk again. Your medical herbs from Bunnyburrow did wonders on my leg, ignoring your crazy neighbors, of course."

"Luckily, Bucky and Pronk are out for the night, and no one's gonna interrupt us from carrying out our big plan," Judy confirmed, as she and Nick sat together at the bed. "To get to Animal China, we need to take a plane. But it's gonna take a long time to get a passport. We're in a _really_ big hurry, every minute counts. We don't wanna keep the others waiting." She shrugged in disgust, "Ugh, those sloths at the DMV…"

"No worries, Fluff," Nick assured. "I have a friend at the air force who can give us a plane and a free trip to Animal China. 100% guaranteed, without a passport."

"Really?" Judy beamed hopefully. "You know someone?"

"Like I said a hundred times, I know everybody," Nick smirked. In an instant, his iPhone vibrated with a cheery ringtone. "Speaking of which, he's calling right now." He pressed the button and responded to it, "Hey, Snug! Thanks for getting back! Sorry I had to call you in short notice, but I was hoping that you'd do me and my friend a little favor."

" _Sure, what do you need?_ " Snug's voice asked. The fox took out a wallet from his pocket and opened it to reveal a picture of himself and the aforementioned raccoon in an old photo.

"A jet," Nick answered. "What do you got that's fast?"

" _Let me think…_ " Snug's voice pondered.

"This is gonna be easy than I thought," Judy smiled confidently, and she leaned her head on the fox's shoulder with an affectionate sigh, the latter comforted by the bosom.

And the next day, a single white jet plane streaked into the clouds, rarely seen by the eye of any citizen in Zootopia.

* * *

Meanwhile, specifically in a frequented club at the edge of town, the grizzly bear crime boss representing the Mob known as Gambol was seen playing a game of billiard. He was hitting the cue ball with the stick when one of his underlings' voices drifted from the entrance. "Yo, Gambol. You here?"

"I'm off duty at the moment, so I'm all ears," Gambol responded. "And help yourself to a granola bar and a soda."

The grizzly bear thug stepped in and reported, "Somebody's here to see you. They're a bunch of street kids claiming they just killed the Joker."

Gambol stiffened. He had spread word on the dark corners of Zootopia that whosoever killed or brought the Joker to him would earn a substantial monetary reward. He never expected that a couple of misfits would kill the clown _for_ him, and he personally wanted to teach him a lesson. Then again, it was part of the deal. Gambol demanded, "Anything else?"

The thug spoke deliberately, "They've brought the body, and they're outside right now."

"I see…" Gambol stroke his furry chin with his claw. "Bring it in."

The gangster went outside and gestured for a company of five street animals, adolescent in age, who were apparently the perpetrators of the Joker's demise. The group came through the door, carrying the corpse covered in garbage bags. Gambol motioned for them to place it on the billiard board. As they did so, everyone gathered around to see the identity confirmed. Gambol reached out and ripped the part of the bag covering the face, exposing the scarred red, white, and green visage, motionless but still devilish. Gambol, satisfied with the verification, turned back to the five teenagers and some of his men that accompanied them. "So, he's dead. That's $500,000."

"How about _alive?_ Hmm?" The voice came from the body. Gambol whipped around and faced the dead clown he had been examining moments before, who sprung himself forward and grabbed him at the back of the neck. Behind him, the grizzly bear could hear the five adolescents wrestling his five thugs to the ground. The Joker had a knife at the edge of Gambol's mouth, and with his hold on the Mob boss's neck, he was trapped.

"You wanna know how I got these scars?" the Joker whispered the question in Gambol's ear, then leaned back again to relay his story. "My father was… a drinker, a crack addict, and a fiend. And one night, he goes off _crazier_ than usual. So, my mother gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to my mother, laughing while he does it. He turns to me, and says, ' _Why so serious?_ ' He comes at me with the knife." The Joker slowly slid his knife into Gambol's mouth for emphasis, "' _Why so SERIOUS?_ '" The knife began to press against the crime boss's cheek, "He sticks the blade in my mouth. ' _Let's put a smile on that face!_ ' And…" He paused, and glanced at the subdued thugs, who were forced into a kneeling position and had been watching the story with horror. "Why so serious?"

The thugs grimaced away as the knife slashed through Gambol's flesh, and the grizzly bear's body collapsed to the ground.

The Joker tore away the bags covering his body, took a hold of a cue stick, and addressed the Mob agents, "Now, our operation is small, but as you can see, we have a _lot_ of potential for _aggressive expansion!_ So, which of you fine gentlemammals would like to join our team? Oh, and there's only one spot open right now, so we're gonna have…" With his leg, he bent the cue stick in two, "… _tryouts._ "

The gangsters looked up with terrified expressions as the Joker nodded to his five minions, who released them. The clown turned to his cronies and announced, "Make it fast." He sauntered into the bar to help himself to Gambol's hospitality.


	9. Skyhook

A Walrus Tech Enterprises helicopter forced its way past the blurry sea of white obscuring the heights of skyscrapers, and hovered over a landing bay on the top of a building, after a long and safe voyage. Upon landing, Lucius Walrus made his way out of the aircraft, satisfied that he had arrived at Bamboo Kamboo, Animal China. While keeping up the façade that he was an honored guest, he was determined to help Judy and Nick prove that a foreigner was an accomplice in the Mob's game. And he knew just how to do it. The cellphone in the pocket of his business suit crinkled as he scanned the front. There! A red panda concierge stood in front, giving a curtly greet.

"Welcome to Bamboo Kamboo, Mr. Walrus. I'm afraid to inform you that Mr. Lau is unable to meet you in person today."

"I understand," Lucius confirmed.

"If you follow me, I'll lead you to your suite," the concierge bargained.

The following day, almost at noon, the Walrus Tech CEO arranged a brunch meeting with the head of Lau Security Investments, Chin Lau himself. Lau had been one of the higher-ups in the Mob, working as the money-balancer; he knew exactly where all the money came from, who it went to, and how to invest it. He had been high enough to manipulate the most gullible of companies, native or foreign, into serving the Mob's every purposes, his deals rarely seen by the public eye. With a single seat of power, a large investment, and generous assistance from LSI spies, the Mob's deposits were easily secured in an unknown location, and had since done little other of note.

Accompanied by the concierge, Lucius entered the headquarters of LSI. As they were about to pass by the security station before the escalators, the concierge informed, "For security purposes, I'm going to have to ask you to check in your mobile."

"Of course," Lucius yielded his mobile to a tiger security guard at the desk.

 **Several minutes later…**

The walrus and the red panda were having their brunch meeting, situated in a highly decorated room with open windows on one of the building's highest floors.

"I must apologize for leaving Zootopia abruptly in the middle of our negotiations," Lau said. "You see, there's been a misunderstanding with the Zootopia Police Department. I could not let such an obstacle threaten my company."

"Of course," Lucius understand.

"Hopefully, a businessman of your stature will understand," Lau continued. "And with you here now, Mr. Walrus, we can continue."

"Well, I do appreciate you bringing me out here in such style, Mr. Lau, but, I realize…" Lucius began, but was cut off when a ringtone sounded and vibrated in his pocket.

Lau informed, "We do not allow cell phones in here."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucius apologized, taking the phone out and turning it off. "I must've forgotten that I had it." He cleared his throat and resumed the subject, "I really came here to tell you that our business deal has to be put on hold. My company and I can't afford to be seen doing business with..." He paused to let it sink in, "…whatever it is you're accused of being. I'm sure that a businessman of _your_ stature will understand."

Lau's eyes dilated with disturbance, silently dreading that the Walrus Tech CEO almost discovered his secret dealings. Regaining his composure, he took one last drink of wine and stood from the table. "I think, Mr. Walrus, a simple phone call might have sufficed."

Lucius shrugged, "I didn't want you to think that we were deliberately wasting your time."

Lau shook his head, "No, just accidentally wasting it."

Lucius chuckled at the compliment, "Certainly, Mr. Lau. Accidentally. I'll be taking my leave, then."

 **Another several minutes later…**

Lucius passed by the security desk, the many conversations of the businessanimals blending into an echoing hum. Before the walrus could exit the building, the tiger security guard working at the desk called out, "Excuse me, sir… Would you like to have your phone back?"

"No thanks," Lucius presented the guard with another identical phone similar to the confiscated one. Realizing this, the tiger placed the mobile back into the bin and gave the walrus permission to leave.

Lucius was relieved that the second step went exactly as he, Judy, and Nick planned, but since Lau Security Investments was currently open, they had been unable to do anything as of yet. Infiltrating the building would only attract unwanted attention, and hiring a third party to do so would leave a traceable trail of evidence. Which was why Judy and Nick decided that they would not initiate Lau's kidnapping at day; instead, they would do it at night. Evening was when LSI was closed for the day, and this was the opportunity to escape without leaving any evidence. Impressed with the progress so far, he rendezvoused with the fox and the rabbit walking among the many tourists, who were casually taking pictures of the surrounding area.

"The map says it all!" Judy remarked, as she took photos with her camera. "Bamboo Kamboo truly is the hottest attraction on Earth, next to Zootopia!"

Nick suggested, "Hey, maybe next time, we can go to Bamboo Kamboo Critterland. Though its small compared to the other parks out there, I heard it's the top in the board."

Judy agreed, "Sounds great! Given that we're taking an extended vacation…"

"So, Miss Hopps and Mr. Wilde…" Lucius spoke up, and the two turned direction to face him. "What do you think of the view from the tram?"

"The view is amazing," Judy grinned. "How about the view from Lau's office?"

"Restricted," Lucius produced his cell phone. "Lau is holed up in there, and security is tight in broad daylight."

"But not in the middle of the night," Judy assumed. "It gives us the edge we need."

"Hey, what's with the light show?" Nick noticed the phone on the walrus's flipper, the screen depicting a white-and-blue imagery of an LSI office.

"I had R&D work it up," Lucius explained. "The device I installed in the phone I left behind sends out a high frequency pulse and records a response time for mapping an environment."

"Sonar?" Judy wondered, stroking her chin. "A high frequency pulse is the result of echolocation. It's the use of sound waves and echoes to determine where objects are in space. It's more like navigation. Bats are the best at it. To echolocate, bats send out sound waves from their mouth or nose. When the sound waves hit an object, they produce echoes."

"Bats?" Nick raised an eyebrow. "More like a submarine."

"I'm afraid Mr. Wilde has a point," Lucius agreed. "The frequency pulse is machine like. A submarine is approximately a hundred bats combined."

"Oh, I see," Judy confirmed. "Any other device?"

"Semtex," Lucius replied.

"Well, I guess this is the part where we keep on touring the whole place," Judy smiled. "We've got until evening, so there's a lot of time."

"Finally, some vacation for us," Nick breathed, placing an arm across Judy's chest. "We get to unwind and do whatever we want without Buffalo Butt bossing us around."

"You could say that again," Judy giggled, reciprocating the gesture. "Free time for the next six hours." She then beamed with a thought, "Say, wanna check out the parade?"

"Does it have a fox as a float?" Nick asked jokingly, and the rabbit was forced to laugh. The two turned away to explore the rest of Bamboo Kamboo before they commence their operation at the cover of night.

But it was not before Lucius told them, "Good luck."

* * *

Midnight had fallen in Bamboo Kamboo, and two familiar figures stood near the peak of one of the city's tallest and elaborate architectures. Judy and Nick, now with armor plates equipped to their police uniforms, observed the headquarters of Lau Security Investments a mile away amidst the lights illuminating the city.

"Can somebody explain to me why we had to position ourselves in a high spot, like literally, in a seriously tall building?" Nick questioned, shivering at the massive height by just looking down.

"You're afraid of heights, aren't you?" Judy asked with a sly smile.

"Have you ever seen a fox freaking out when we took the cable car in the Rainforest District?" Nick countered. "I'm just asking that we're perched up high. One slip off, and we're as good as dead!"

"I figured we'd get a better view of the city," Judy replied. Kneeling near the edge, she took out two pieces of particular gadgetry and attached them together to form some sort of a rifle. Once assembled, she set the gadget's timer dial to two minutes, thirty seconds. "Lau's in the main office, so we're gonna have to drag him out. First, we set the bombs." Pumping the gun-like mechanism, Judy aimed it towards a couple of windows on the LSI building and fired five projectiles in the form of mini-bombs attached to a glue-like substance. Once the glue stuck, the rabbit narrated the rest of the plan, "Next, we catch Lau and keep him with us until the bombs go off. And then, using our _Skyhook,_ we parachute ourselves back to the plane, and we're home free."

"Parachute?!" Nick's eyes widened with shock. "How are we supposed to parachute ourselves back to the plane when it's only good at letting us float in the air until we land?"

"It's a _Skyhook_ , dude!" Judy laughed confidently. "It's no ordinary parachute. Trust me, when we use it, we're gonna fly up in the air. You'll see."

"I don't get what you or Wet Wally are saying, but sure. I'd like to try it," Nick reluctantly complied. "As long as a helicopter doesn't ram us."

* * *

In Lau's office, the red panda was seen talking on the phone, presumably having another business deal with an unknown client.

Meanwhile in the security station, Lucius's mobile apparently doubled as an EMP device as well. Upon activation, the pulse shut down the electronic equipment surrounding the entire building. Once most of the power was out, except for a few lighting stands, Lau ordered one of his gunmen to be on the lookout for the disturbance. Several others under Lau's employ followed suit, wielding flashlights aside from handguns.

* * *

Tensing only briefly, the duo realized that the moment had arrived. Fixating a grappling hook towards the edge closest to the LSI building's top floor, Judy fired the metal object, and it was sent flying until it pierced the concrete. Next, Nick fixated a handling device that could slide both him and the rabbit all the way inside. Confirming that all preparations were complete, Judy notified, "Alright, let's get a move on, 'cause the clock's ticking like the devil!"

"Don't forget, we've got one shot at this," Nick pointed out, and he gripped the handle with one paw, while securing Judy's body around his other arm. "We miss, we're falling many stories." He sighed to himself, "I know I'm gonna regret this someday, but it has to done. For animal and country." He then paused, "Then again, it reminds me of the exercises I took before I joined the Ranger Scouts."

Judy asked, "You've trained before?"

Nick explained, "I wasn't born a sly fox when I hadn't taken gym class. But this is the first time I had to grapple all the way to a huge building with a bunny."

Judy chuckled, "Well, welcome to Super Infiltration 101. This is your first lesson."

Nick rolled his eyes, "Better mind the gap, Carrots."

Judy's arms circled Nick's chest, "Okay, are you ready?"

Nick strengthened his grip, "As I'll ever be."

"One… Two… Three… **BREAK!** "

With a fierce cry, Judy and Nick glided down the dangling rope with the device as their only support, until they were reaching the window of Lau's office…

* * *

Not wanting to take chances, Lau pulled out his own handgun and sought for the safety of his bodyguards; he even got himself beneath his giant panda underling. "Where are the police?" Lau asked in his native language.

One of his suits replied, "They're already on their way."

"What the hell am I paying them for?! To be here late?!"

 ** _CRASH!_** The shattering of a window broke the silence. Lau stumbled sideways in shock, falling to the floor as he witnessed two figures striking in the shadows, taking down his most of his bodyguards with great agility and flexibility, while shattering a few trappings and belongings in the process. Lau looked around frantically searching for the two perpetrators. Only then did he catch a glimpse of the bunny and fox knocking down his men that he realized what he was up against. His face blanched in terror. It was Judy Hopps, the hero cop from Zootopia, and her trusty partner Nick Wilde! After defeating the underlings, Judy and Nick stared at the hapless red panda with determined eyes.

"Chin Lau, you're under arrest!" Judy declared. "Drop your weapon and put your paws up!"

Lau, too terrified to stand up or do anything, hurriedly scooted backward away from the duo, behind the corner of a table. As they neared the object, they paused. Lau would be expecting them coming, and was probably waiting with the handgun, ready to attack if they came around the edge. Judy and Nick needed to regain the element of surprise; they needed to do something Lau would not expect. And then it occurred to them quickly.

"C'mon!" Judy cried. She and Nick backed up a bit and spread their legs apart, assuming a stable post. They aimed themselves at the side of the table where Lau hid, rushed forward, and leaped _over_ the wooden object. As they emerged, they heard Lau screaming at the unexpected attack. A bullet sped past Judy's face, missing its mark. Lau still brandished the gun in his paw, ready to try and kill the heroes of Zootopia who had suddenly stormed his office. Now, in such a close proximity, the weapon proved awkward and inaccurate without the proper aiming.

Lau fell backwards in panic, and Judy and Nick landed on top of him. He tried to fire again, but the rabbit kicked the weapon away. His terror rose, his eyes never taking sight off the two rebellious cops which had him pinned to the ground. Lau's voice shifted into a pathetic, pleading tone, "Please… Please, don't hurt me…"

"Fasten your seats beats, Mr. Lau. We're gonna take you back to Zootopia," Judy announced. "You're going to answer for all the dealings you've made with the Mob."

"No!" Lau screamed. "Please, don't!"

Ignoring the red panda's incessant pleas, Judy and Nick dragged Lau by the legs. It wasn't long until the disturbance caught the attention of the Anichinese police force, the squads fixating their rifles. Police sirens grew from below the building, and Judy and Nick whipped around with their hostage to face the windows.

"No time to lose! Get the _Skyhook!_ " Judy yelled.

"Don't need to be told twice!" Nick quickly fastened the contraption around Lau's torso. As a dozen Anichinese police officers aimed their firearms at the foreign intruders, Lau, afraid of getting shot, convinced them in his native language to hold their fire; they reluctantly followed. The rabbit and the fox stood silent… and waited.

And then, the five mini-bombs finally detonated, shattering the windows nearby.

" **NOW!** "

Taking advantage of the police's confusion, Judy and Nick launched from the device on Lau's chest a parachute line into the air. Around the same time, an unmarked plane was seen flying over Bamboo Kamboo's skyline. Turning Lau around, Judy and Nick girded themselves, and just like that, all three were lifted up.

"WHOOOOOOAAAAA!" Nick cried shockingly. "So this is what parachuting up high feels like!"

"Even so, that's a clean getaway," Judy breathed. "We owe _Skyhook_ a lot."

"That's okay," Nick slightly overcame his shock. "We can just take another extended vacation, and we'll call it even."

A brief second later, the parachute immediately found purpose on the plane's exterior, taking them high above the city. The Anichinese police could only stare in shock, left speechless in their failed effort to prevent Lau's kidnapping.


	10. Judy Hopps Dead?

A few days after, sometime during the morning in the bustling mammal metropolis, a certain red panda lay handcuffed and unconscious on the doorsteps of the Zootopia Police Department, a piece of paper duct-taped at the front of his loose suit complete with a hand-written request to deliver him to the nearest authorities. About half a dozen cops accompanying Lieutenant James Cluck found the scene almost humorous, but they were nonetheless relieved that Judy was clever enough to bring Lau back to Zootopia, despite not knowing of the mess she left behind during the heist in Hong Kong. Not that they cared, anyway.

And that was how Chin Laufound himself within the confines of the interrogation room. He stared at Alicia's assistant district attorney Jason Dawes, who presided over the interrogation, whilst another red panda at his side, another Mob representative, served as his attorney. Observing the bargain from the glass were Cluck, Chief Bogo, and Alicia Garnet.

Jason proposed, "Look, give us the money and we'll talk about making a deal. Alicia was getting kind of bushed after a morning session, so I'm taking the lead on this one." He straightened himself while keeping a clear face, and repeated the question, "Where did you keep the money? The deposits you hid for the Mob?"

Keeping a light-hearted tone with subtle hints of underlying annoyance, Lau spoke, "The money is the only reason I'm still alive."

Jason rubbed his chin, "Oh, you mean when theydiscover that you cooperated with us, they're going to kill you?"

The Mob lawyer sneered, "Are you threatening my client?"

"No, I'm just assuming your client's cooperation with this investigation," Jason answered, sitting himself down on a chair. "As with everyone."

Lau's only reply was a grim look on his face and a couple of twiddling fingers, yet he still kept up his smooth reservoir.

"No?" Jason stared at the defendant's somewhat exhausted face. He deliberated and made a decision, "Fine. Enjoy your time at County, Mr. Lau." He momentarily proceeded to leave the room, until an abrupt shout interrupted him.

"Wait!"

Jason turned his head to the Anichinese economist.

"I won't give you the money, but I will give you my clients. _All_ of them."

"You're a glorified accountant," Jason remarked. "What could you possibly have on all of them that we could charge?"

"I'm good with calculation," Lau quipped. "I handled all of their investments: one giant pot."

Outside the interrogation room, Alicia recorded every word said on the matter. "Got it."

"Be back in one minute," Jason departed for consultation.

Alicia spoke, "RICO."

Cluck asked, "RICO?"

Alicia clarified, "If they pool their money, we can charge them all as one criminal conspiracy."

A confused Bogo inquired, "Charge them? Why?"

Alicia explained, "In a RICO case, you charge one of the conspirators with a felony, you can—"

"Charge them all with it!" Jason beamed, and he turned back to the interrogation room. "Great!" As he returned, he spoke with Lau, "Mr. Lau, what kind of details do you have about this communal fund? Account books…"

"…immunity, protection, and a plane back to Bamboo Kamboo," Lau interrupted.

"After you testify in open court," Jason suggested. "I'm a bit curious, though. With all your clients behind bars, what's going to happen to all that money?"

Lau mustered up the light-heartedness with a grin. "Like I said, I'm good with calculation."

Outside, Bogo shook his head at the result of the interrogation. He said, "He can't go to County. I'll keep him here in the holding cell at Precinct One."

"What do you think this is, Bogo?" Alicia questioned angrily. "Is Precinct One your self-appointed fortress?" She gestured to Lau through the glass, "Lau's no ordinary criminal; he's different than all the thugs and looters you've put away. I recommend you put him in a secure prison, not a makeshift station."

"Garnet's right," Cluck agreed to the rabbit's words of conviction. "Lau needs to be put away. If he escapes, all our leads would be lost, and people could get hurt. Do you want that?"

Bogo argued, "You'd rather trust _them_ over at County? Lau is property of the ZPD, and so, it's _my_ property. I'm the chief, I make the decisions. So I say…" He finalized on the matter, "Lau stays."

"Well, do what you have to do," Alicia reluctantly complied. "But if it goes the wrong way, I'm taking him to County, like it or not. Now if you excuse me…" She left for the station's exit, "I'm throwing a party with the hero cop who brought Lau back."

"Hopps…" Bogo looked down in exasperation.

* * *

As the TV screen overhead came to life in a local restaurant, reporters from the Zootopia News Network interviewed Alicia Garnet regarding the successful capture of Lau Chin. Across the screen ran the headlines: MOB ACCOUNTANT CAPTURED BY JUDY HOPPS: HERO COP NAPPING CROOK IN ANIMAL CHINA: DA GIVES WORD ON THE MATTER. Alicia relayed her story to millions of viewers watching, " _I don't know about Officer Hopps' travel arrangements, and how she brought Mr. Lau back to Zootopia in one piece, but I'm sure glad that she did. She has saved the day once again, proving that she's still the best cop a city could ask for._ "

At that same restaurant, a group of eyes watched the newscast attentively. Salvatore Pappagello had called an emergency meeting with the other Mob bosses downtown. Everyone started in shock, disbelief, and slight terror at the report, at the bunny cop seemingly appearing in Animal China out of nowhere and abducting Lau. A little white ball of long ears which had the speed of ten bunnies, the intelligence of an owl, and the strength of an ox.

Pappagello stared at the screen, a grim look of impending defeat on his face. "Mother of God…" he murmured. Such a nervous wreck would crack under the slightest pressure, and would sing the police anything they wanted to hear.

"He's got Lau," one of the Mob bosses remarked.

"Gee, thanks for letting us know about that, Captain Obvious," Pappagello rolled his eyes. "Because of Hopps, we're no longer safe! Does anyone have any bright ideas?"

"Oh, I know," Pinguino spoke with his beak full of fried sushi. "Why don't we put the word out and hire the clown?"

"Hire the clown?" Pappagello was a bit surprised upon hearing this announcement. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"He was right, you know," Pinguino stated. "We have to fix the real problem: the bunny cop."

A few minutes later, a familiar cop casually walked inside the café with cuffs in tow. He whirled his head at the television set, "The bunny attorney looks good on the tube."

"You sure that you don't want to embarrass me in front of my friends, Lieutenant Cluck?" Pappagello questioned.

"Oh, don't worry," the chicken replied confidently. "They're coming, too."

And right on cue, the ZPD officers made their way into the eatery, and the crime lords jumped at their unexpected arrival. The streets were abuzz with various arrests, from dozens of gangsters to a congregation of crime bosses in one basket.

* * *

The courtroom was packed with a combined number of defendants and jury members, and Judge Tortimer rustled his paperwork. He read the number of felonies committed by the Mob, "Seven hundred and twelve counts of extortion, eight hundred and forty-nine counts of racketeering, two hundred and forty-six counts of fraud, eighty-seven counts of conspiracy murder..." He suddenly paused when he discovered a mysteriously misplaced Joker playing card from the folder. He then resumed the accusations, "…and five hundred and twenty-seven counts of obstruction of justice. How do the defendants plead?"

Scores of criminals exclaimed simultaneously, making it extremely difficult to keep track. Amongst the crowd included two of the Big Seven, Pappagello and Pinguino, who refused to voice out their cries of protest, instead they looked down in defeat. Alicia and Jason were deeply satisfied at this reaction.

"Order in the court!" Tortimer demanded, as he struck his gavel.

* * *

Zootopia's mayor Quill Garcia rested in his swivel chair and stared out the window of his office. Located ten floors up in City Hall, the room offered a broad, reaching view of the city skyline. The mayor slowly stroked his bristling fur, which was slowly graying with years of experience in politics.

The door behind him opened, and in came three. "Mayor Garcia?"

Garcia abruptly turned back to his desk and the newcomers. "Ah, yes. Come in." Alicia, Bogo, and Cluck closed the door behind him and sat in front of the mayor's desk. "Has the report been prepared?"

"Yes, sir," Cluck flashed a large manila file folder he was carrying. "A complete chronicle of what happened at Animal China four days ago. Foreign witness testimonies, security camera snapshots, and a full report on Chin Lau's arrest and every criminal associated with the Mob."

"I see," Garcia opened the folder and browsed through the contents of each page, absorbing himself in the components. "Chin Lau, the CEO of a foreign company identified as the instigator of the Mob's activities, still in Precinct One?"

"He offered no struggle for some reason," Bogo reported. "In fact, he seemed eager for us to slap the handcuffs on him."

Garcia chuckled huskily, "Was jail really that bad?"

Alicia gave a half-hearted smirk, "Very funny, Mr. Mayor. But in seriousness, he seemed afraid for his life. He's merely a liability in the Mob, and was quick to admit it as soon as we nabbed him. Bogo kept him in the holding cells for interrogation, and so far he's been an open book."

Cluck added, "Mr. Lau has been a Mob accountant for years. He's been involved in money laundering, corporate misconduct, and conspiracy to perform obstructions of justice. After his arrest, he volunteered to give us the location of all his conspirators. He gives one condition, however: he wishes to remain in police custody indefinitely until he feels that the Mob will no longer have use for him."

"And that's where the city-wide arrests came in," Garcia flipped a page to see the number of Mob workers. "Five hundred and forty-nine criminals at once. Just how did you convince Judge Tortimer to hear this case?"

Alicia quipped, "He shares my enthusiasm for justice. After all, he is a judge."

Garcia replied, "Even if you blow enough smoke to get convictions out of Tortimer, you're going to set a new record for appeals for 'quickest kick in the behind.'"

"It won't matter," Alicia pointed out. "The top guys will most likely make bail, but the mid-levels? They can't. They can't afford to be off the streets long enough for trial and appeal; they'll cut deals that'll include some jail time. Just think of the possibilities…" She gestured enthusiastically, "Eighteen months of crime-free streets."

Bogo was taken aback by this response. "Mr. Mayor, you can't—"

"No," Garcia raised a paw, interrupting him. "Chief, Lieutenant, I need to have a moment with Garnet, please."

The law enforcers only realized after a few seconds that they were being asked to leave. They eventually stood up and left, leaving Alicia and Garcia to converse alone.

"They like you," Garcia grew with anticipation. "The citizens like you. Everyone in Zootopia has looked up to you. That's the only reason why that stunt of yours could work. The Mob has had us chasing our tails for months! We haven't been able to precede press charges locally because we couldn't get evidence, but now we have this! This could be a great day for our beloved city, to have a new era of peace."

"I'm not the only one who's liked by everyone, you know," Alicia reminded. "And I'm not the only hero bunny."

Garcia deadpanned, "That actually brings me to my next point, Alicia. You're our best bet. Do you believe that having some… wildcard bunny running around on her own volition without receiving orders from headquarters is considered heroic deeds? I, on the other hand, consider it breaking the law." He noticed the annoyed look on Alicia's face, indicating that Judy had been made fun of. "I'm sorry, I meant no offense to Officer Hopps, and I know she's your friend. But it is the job of every officer in the ZPD to maintain order in the city. And by order, I mean, the rules. Cops should follow rules in their duty to serve and protect, not break them. Judy Hopps seems to be the only exception when it comes to rules."

Alicia shook in disagreement, "Mr. Mayor, Judy stopped countless crimes for over a year. She even caught a Mob consultant from Animal China and brought him back to us. You call that breaking the rules?"

"I call that vigilantism," Garcia huffily stood up. "And not the kind of criminal-type vigilante sort of thing. Judy is a hero, all right, but she's unpredictable, rebellious, arrogant, and thinks she takes the law into her own hands. We appreciate everything she's done for us, we really do. But what do you call a cop who routinely ignores regulation and inflict her will wherever or whenever she chooses, unconcerned of what she left behind? Like the Animal China incident." The mayor raised his forefinger and narrowed his eyes, "Whoever gave her that idea to steal an animal from a foreign land, she's in over her head. We don't always have to rely on a so-called vigilante super-cop like Judy Hopps. And you're right, she's not the only hero. Zootopia's got a lot of animals we depend on. Like you and the other cops at the ZPD."

Alicia sighed, "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Mayor. But time and time again, Judy has proved herself helpful to the community, and furthered the interest of public safety. Are you seriously going to arrest somebody who's dubbed the name and face of the ZPD? A symbol of hope for Zootopia?" She paused to let it sink in, "A friend?"

"Easy, Alicia. We're not going to arrest her," Garcia assured with a light-hearted chuckle. "Then again, Judy's rebellious nature is what made her famous."

Alicia shared a chuckle of her own, "I know she's reckless and rough around the edges, Mr. Mayor, but she's not murderous and ruthless."

Garcia added, "And another thing, the citizens are spreading the word. They think that you and Judy are going to team up, and together, you'll wipe the streets clean from crime. I'm starting to believe that idea, and I respect the people's wishes. However, what the both of you did, it's almost on you. They're all coming after you now. Not just the Mob, but politicians, journalists, jealous cops, anyone who's wallets are about to get lighter. Are you up to the challenge, Alicia? You better be."

"I'm always ready," Alicia grinned. "Me and Judy, taking on the world together."

Garcia gazed over downtown Savanna Central, "Glad to hear it. Because if they get anything on you, and those criminals are back on the streets, followed swiftly by you and me—"

Suddenly, a dead rabbit swung down and slammed into the window.

" **HOLY—** " Garcia stumbled backwards, falling to the ground in alarm. Alicia, inversely, leapt out of her seat and pressed against the window, horrified at the sudden apparition. The rabbit was female, her neck had been hung on a noose, her face was painted white, and her mouth was slashed open and highlighted in red. Her eyes swelled wide, frozen in a glazed-over stare of mortal terror.

"Judy…" Alicia whispered worriedly. She knew that it wasn't the real one, but the thought of Judy being dead… It scared her.

Outside, various cops, medics, and civilians stared at the lifeless body lowered to the ground. Once the cadaver finally reached the pavement, Cluck walked slowly towards it, noticing the hapless victim's lower face draped in the same makeup the Joker wore. Most disturbing was the Joker playing card pinned with a knife on the makeshift armor, and Cluck knew that it wasn't the real Judy Hopps.

* * *

"Oh, Miss Hopps, darling, you are simply divine!"

The effeminate armadillo hairdresser gave his positive comment to Judy, who had returned from the dressing room donning an orange sleeveless dress, glittering in similar fashion like Alicia's. The armadillo wasn't the only one impressed, though.

"You look like fourteen karats, Carrots," Nick grinned. "It's a good thing karats rhymes with carrots, but without the second A."

The hairdresser stated, "This carrot-scented dress I provided will make you the shining jewel of Alicia Garnet's banquet tonight! I'll give you a 40% discount. Consider it a special treatment for the most heroic police officer in the city."

Judy smiled appreciatively, "Thanks, Mr. Armabeauty."

Nick interjected, "Would you care to explain why you're bringing your carrot-farming bunch again?"

Judy answered, "Well, Alicia's happy to see me, and she's proud that I'm the hero cop, so she arranged this little get-together, and was kind enough to invite my parents and some of my brothers and sisters as well. If we don't show up, it'd be a bummer for us, especially me."

Nick crossed his arms, "I'm guessing that your parents are super-excited to visit you for a reason. Whether they wanna impress Alicia, or they want to see how much you've grown into a hero cop."

Judy chuckled, "Yeah, I bet they're proud of me right now. And besides that, we've caught Lau, so we deserve a celebration."

Nick asked, "But what about the Joker guy, the one who robbed the bank? He's probably running around with paws full of cash."

Judy shrugged, "Meh, the odds of so many animals being a target in his twisted game are slim to none. He's probably gunning for a drug addict or someone easy like that. And that's assuming he was sincere in his so-called threats. More than likely, it was a sick joke or some diseased maniac making trouble. The Joker's probably being apprehended as we speak." Her enthusiasm grew, "For now, let's focus on the party. I bet it's gonna be a blast!"

Moments before she could daydream about which festivities awaited her and Nick at the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant penthouse, Judy caught a glimpse of the news headlines. Shocked, she re-read it to confirm its content, "Nick! Take a look at this!"

"What's going on?" Nick trotted over to her side. She was staring at the television overhead in wide-eyed shock. Following her gaze, Nick saw the headline: JUDY HOPPS DEAD? MURDER IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. The anchors cut to the clip: a bunny dangling from a rope around her neck, being lowered from her place atop City Hall. "Turn it up!" Nick called out. The otter holding the remote obliged.

".. _.the Zootopia Police Department has released footage found concealed on the body. Sensitive viewers, please be aware: the image is disturbing._ "

The station then switched to the video, which showed a rabbit wearing odd clothing tied up in a chair, her face contorted in absolute terror, the snuff film taking place in a meat locker. Judy and Nick immediately recognized the captive's appearance.

"I know her," Judy pointed at the screen. "She's one of…"

"The copybunnies…" Nick narrowed his eyes.

" _Tell them your name._ " The voice came from behind the camera, a smooth yet sinister sounding voice.

The rabbit responded weakly, " _B-Briana… Douglas…_ "

A malicious chuckle silenced her, " _Are you the real Judy Hopps?_ "

" _N-No._ "

" _No?_ "

" _No._ "

" _No?! Then why do you dress up like her?!_ " the speaker demanded as he removed Brianna's hockey pad-protective armor like a plastic bag. The perpetrator played with his 'toy', another mocking giggle filling the room.

Brianna gathered every bit of courage left in her and answered, " _B-Because she's a hero. A symbol that we don't have to be afraid of scum like you._ "

" _Yeah?_ " A purple-sleeved arm and a similarly-colored glove lashed out and grabbed the side of Brianna's head, " _You do, Brianna, honey-bunny baby._ " The voice grew furious, " _You_ _ **really**_ _do!_ " The copybunny whimpered in dread, and the voice suddenly became mockingly comforting, " _Oh, shush, shush, shush, shush, shush…_ " The glove gently stroked her cheek, then slapped it. " _So, you think Judy's made Zootopia a better place?_ " The camera drew back, and the rabbit glanced away in fear.

" _Look at me,_ " the voice requested. Brianna did not move. " _LOOK AT ME!_ " She flinched, then slowly, dreadfully, glared at the voice. Suddenly, the camera turned around to reveal the speaker: none other than the Joker himself. Judy and Nick jumped at the clown's horrific appearance.

"So that's what he looks like," Nick thought out loud.

" _You see, this is how_ _ **crazy**_ _Hopps has made Zootopia!_ " the Joker announced maliciously. " _You want order in Zootopia? Judy Hopps must surrender her badge, quit the ZPD, and turn herself in! Oh, and every day she doesn't, people will die. Starting tonight. I'm a jackal of my word._ "

Then the Joker laughed; an absolutely insane laugh that echoed throughout the city. Nick edged over to hug and comfort Judy as terrified screams and yelps of pain sounded from Brianna, mixing with the demonic cackling.

What were they up against now?


	11. The Banquet

At the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, the penthouse meet-and-greet was a smashing success. Judy and Nick, dressed in a carrot-scented orange dress and a black suit respectively, certainly met and greeted dozens of faces, new and old. Alicia's family, her old friends from AidMed, and a select few celebrities including sensational pop star Gazelle, offered warm and gratifying receptions. Waiters weaved their way through the crowds bearing trays stocked with hors d'oeuvres and drinks. The celebrities would often perform in front of the audience like it was a live concert ( _Try Everything,_ the hit single in Gazelle's new album, was Judy and Alicia's personal favorite).

But being the VIP in the party wasn't the issue; Judy was mostly excited that locals from Bunnyburrow had come to the party. These include a few friends and associates from her youth, such as childhood bully and pastry chef Gideon Grey. At the same time, though, Judy was disappointed that her mother, her father, and her siblings hadn't arrived yet. Alicia, the party host, promised that she would pick them up from Bunnyburrow in the middle of the party, according to her earlier statement that she's always fashionably late. Like the rest, the Bunnyburrow locals were enthusiastic of being a part of the banquet, and most of all, reuniting with an old friend. Imagine that, a bunny from Bunnyburrow, the child of a long family of carrot farmers turned into a hero. They expressed awe of Judy's new lifestyle by giving her pats, hugs, and paw shakes. Nick left her side to chase down a platter of deviled eggs, leaving her to talk to them.

"You're mighty strong, Judy!" Gideon admired. "You're the sheriff 'round these here parts. Criminals runnin' scared with your sweet moves, much like that ol' kick in my teeth." He felt nostalgia upon remembering that day at the fair.

"Thanks, Gideon," Judy chuckled. "Much appreciated."

A female sheep in black wool named Janice remarked, "We all saw the news. About a bunny being a cop and bringing down all these crooks in the big city… It's simply amazing!"

Judy asked, "I take it you saw Alicia, too?"

A tiger named Chad answered, "We're proud of her, too. Two bunnies, a cop and a lawyer, it's like a dream video game crossover."

Judy flashed a genial grin, "It sure is. We've kept in touch since then. After a few mistakes in life, I turned out a big city cop, and she turned out a lawyer, so we both turned out okay! We did our best, and we made it through the big leagues. Paying a visit with her is like getting me out of the station for some much-needed socializing."

Another rabbit named Morgana asked, "Say, where's your sidekick? You know, your partner in the force? He's a fox, just like Gideon."

Gideon nodded, "Yep, just like me. I heard yer sidekick's 'round here in this fancy ol' party."

"You mean Nick?" Judy turned, scanned the room for a few seconds, and then pointed at the other fox helping himself to the buffet. "Him, with the shifty eyes and the snazzy look."

Nick turned around the next moment to find Judy and her Bunnyburrow friends snickering at some secret joke between each other. He plodded his way back with a heaping plate of food in his hands. "So, how's the reunion party with the bunny bunch?"

Judy responded, "I'd call that an unqualified success, but not really when my family hasn't arrived yet."

Gideon interjected, "You're Nick the fox cop, right? The sidekick."

Nick rubbed the back of his head with a confused look, "Geez, why do people always call me a sidekick? I'm a hero, too. How come the fox is always the last to be trusted? I swear, foxes have no respect in the family."

Gideon chortled in agreement, "Yeah, I know how it feels. Life is rough bein' a fox."

Nick sighed, but dropped the subject, "You're Gideon Grey, right? Carrots told me everything about you. You used to bully the local fluffs until you went through rehab and became a pastry chef. The name's Nick Wilde, in case you're asking."

Gideon shook his paw, "Nice to meet ya. Glad you could take time off your busy schedule to stop by."

Nick guffawed, "Ah, no big deal! Heck, we've got no Mob scumbags or any of that big-time crud around town. Scared of us, that's what they are." He took a croissant sandwich off his plate and took a bite.

Chad titled his head, confused. He asked, "So, the recent murder isn't a big deal, then?"

Janice added worriedly, "Before we arrived here, we heard the news from the radio. A bunny dressed up like you is dead, and this dog in clown's makeup is making a threat. We're worried something is about to happen to us. Most of all, you."

Nick shook his head, trying to chew his food. "Ah, that's nothing. Every city has its crazies. The Joker's gonna be in a cell by morning, piece of cake!" Another bite of his sandwich.

Morgana questioned, "The Joker? That's the name of the guy on the video?"

Judy smiled warmly, "Don't worry too much, guys. We're doing everything we can to stop the Joker. The best and brightest in the ZPD are on high alert, so no one's gonna die tonight." She stopped a server passing by for a batch of carrot juice glasses, handed a few to Nick and the Bunnyburrow locals, and held one for herself. "Well, welcome to Zootopia! Anyone can be anything!" She raised her glass to offer a toast.

Gideon cheered, "Cheers for Judy Hopps! The best cop in the world!"

"Cheers!" They all cried the same message and raised their glasses, and drank to good health. Afterwards, Nick leaned down to speak to Gideon in private.

"Hey, when I said everything about you, it's all the time," Nick whispered. "You've known Carrots her whole life?"

Gideon responded, "Nah, not all of it."

"Any blueberry pies in your shop?"

"Oh, you have no idea…"

A mere second later, a whirring sound was heard approaching, the buzz growing to a roar. The party guests turned their heads to see a helicopter almost touching the adjacent helipad outside the penthouse. Naturally, this was an elaborate plan to bolster the event; even those who were invited the first time were surprised. The helicopter's occupants were revealed to be the host of the banquet, accompanied by Jason Dawes, and of course, none other than Bonnie Hopps, Stu Hopps, and a select many of Judy's brothers and sisters.

As the group entered the luxury suite, Judy waved excitedly. " **MOM! DAD! ALI! YOU'RE ALL HERE!** "

" **JUDY!** " Stu and Bonnie opened their arms, and Judy leapt to them, enveloping each other in a warm hug, the sea of brothers and sisters giving shouts of joy. Alicia and Jason could barely stop themselves from laughing.

"Oh, I missed you guys so much!" Judy snuggled into the embrace. "I got so much to share with you."

"Thanks, Alicia, for taking us all the way here," Stu tipped his cap to Alicia.

Alicia smiled back, "Sure thing, Mr. Hopps. Since the Zootopia Express is out of service for a while, I had to pay a helicopter mammal to pick you, your wife, and fifty of your kids up. I'll gladly do anything for Jude's family." He turned to the helicopter pilot, "Thanks, Rick!"

"No prob, ma'am!" the beaver in the driver's seat saluted.

"Sorry I'm late, folks!" Alicia dusted off her glittering garnet dress and projected her voice to the crowd. "I'm glad to know that you all started the party without me. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm always fashionably late."

All the guests laughed at this wisecrack. Jason snickered, "It's true."

"And here she is, Judy Hopps, the bunny of the hour, and my oldest friend!" Alicia placed a gloved paw on the aforementioned rabbit's shoulder. "Good to see you, Jude."

"Thanks for the party, Ali," Judy took a sip from her glass. "Petty nice, being able to organize a party in a penthouse, huh?"

"One of the perks of being a higher-up," Alicia chuckled, then glanced over at Nick. A server offered the fox the very last sandwich on his platter, which he gladly accepted and began to devour. "Seems like tonight's a winner for everyone."

"You know, when we heard that Alicia is the new district attorney, we've been thinking about a lot of things," Bonnie began. "The bunny with all those campaign ads and the slogan, 'I believe in Alicia Garnet'…"

"Nice slogan as heck," Stu added to the public conversation. "You've got everybody's attention, and then we started to pay attention to you, Ali the Fanny." Again, the guests laughed in agreement.

Judy smiled to herself, "Good ol' dad, always coming up with the best nicknames."

Bonnie continued, "We know Alicia Garnet. She has been a friend of the family for years. With everything she's done as this city's new district attorney, a lot of things came into our minds. And so, we wanted to say one thing." She paused to let it sink in, "We believe in Alicia Garnet. We believe that on her watch, Zootopia can feel a little more secure, and a little more optimistic. Look at this face." She motioned the guests to look at Alicia, "Her face is the symbol of a bright future. Alicia Garnet. Let's hear it from her."

Stu agreed, "Yeah, let's hear it from her!"

The Hopps family clapped in Alicia's honor, followed by everyone else in the room, the latter overwhelmed by the gratitude and respect. She remained quiet for a few seconds, then abruptly switched the topic, "Man, this is one big party you're having without me tonight. I think I'm gonna greet the rest of the invitees. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the party!"

With that said, the waiters and attendees scattered and resumed their duties, and Nick was still gorging his mouth with sandwiches. Judy sipped the half of carrot juice in her glass while watching the rest of the banquet come into play. While she was glad that her loved ones from Bunnyburrow came to see her, she also thought about things outside. Her fellow cops were probably investigating the Joker's threat. She hoped they were. Despite her pacifying remarks before Alicia came to the party, and the noticeable lack of clowns at the event, she remained cautious. The images swam in Judy's mind: the Joker, his demand for her surrender, the death of her fake counterpart… and there were going to be more victims tonight. What if…?

Just then, Bonnie took her daughter by the shoulder and began to lead her to the fringes of activity. "Excuse me, Judy? Your father and I would like to have a word with you. A few minutes of your time, please?"

Judy looked away. She knew this was coming. Her parents must've discovered the Joker's ploy on the news as well. Mustering her bit of courage, Judy responded anxiously, "Um, sure."

* * *

That was how a few minutes later, Judy, Bonnie, and Stu stood on the balcony, free from the noises and voices filling the penthouse's insides. The three were alone, and were free to have a serious family discussion.

"…and the bunny dangling from a rope scared the dickens outta us," Stu finished relaying the story. "He threatens to murder us, as long as you're in the force."

Judy shook her head, "Dad, I had nothing to do with the Joker. If you have a problem, take it up with _him._ He's trying to intimidate—"

"Can we finish, please?" Bonnie's face turned serious. "Judy, I know it's your dream to become a big city cop, and we're proud of you for following that dream." She clapped her daughter on the shoulder, "But this is real life. Being a hero and saving the day is serious business, and people can get hurt. We could get hurt." She added with deep conviction, " _You_ could get hurt."

Judy brushed off her mother's concerns, "Mom, I'm fine. I know what I'm doing." She added with a scoff, "C'mon, do you really think anyone can hurt me? You're talking to the hero cop! Y'know, Jude the Dude?"

Stu chuckled, "Yeah. And we're so darn happy. You're a hero, a symbol, a real cop." He then shared Bonnie's expression, "But heroes don't last forever, you know? And you're not the only hero in the city."

Bonnie explained, "Judy, your father and I were having a discussion. We're very proud of you, and you did great. But things today are a mess. I think it's time…" She paused for effect, "…you give up."

Silence.

Judy asked cautiously, "What do you mean, I have to give up?"

Stu explained, "It means you have to step down, retire from the ZPD. Forget about being a police officer and get a normal job, live a normal life." He added with enthusiasm, "Nothing better than making the world a better place than being a supervisor, a pastry chef… and even better, a carrot farmer! A spot in the farm's always open for you!"

Bonnie snapped at her husband, "Stu, you're spoiling the surprise!"

Stu laughed awkwardly, "Sorry. I thought it was the best time to tell her."

Judy turned icy at her parents' suggestion. She replied, "So you're asking me to quit?"

Bonnie pressed on, "Look, I know it's tough, but no one stays a cop forever. There's an old saying, 'Heroes don't die, they just fade away.' Sooner or later, Zootopia will no longer need the old hero and make way for the new. And that day is coming."

Judy shook her head, "No… You can't ask me to wait for that…"

Stu deadpanned, "But Jude, it's happening now. Alicia is that _new hero._ From all those news reports we've seen and heard, we discovered that what you did for Zootopia, Alicia did even better. She's locked up half Zootopia's criminals, and she did so without a police car and a pair of handcuffs." He added sincerely, "Zootopia needs that kind of hero, a hero that's not in the force. A hero with a different job. That's someone who'll make the world even better."

Bonnie agreed, "That's why we're asking you to retire, to come back home with us. It's hard fto accept, but it's what's best for everyone. What's best for you."

Judy was awash with conflict and emotion. Something inside urges her to snap, but trying to compose herself as best as possible, she had to be honest with her parents. "Mom, Dad, we're in the middle of a war on crime, and the ZPD needs me. I have to make the world a better place _my own way._ I have to stop those innocents from getting hurt. I have to stand up against crime. If I don't stop being a cop, who will?"

Bonnie argued, "There are many who are willing to stand up against crime! It doesn't always have to be you, Judy! You don't have to be the one patrolling the city all the time!"

Stu nodded, "Your mom's right, Jude. We're talking about your safety, and everyone else's. Sometimes bad things happen, and there's nothing we can do to fix them. Sometimes you have to leave the work to someone else. You're sure you want to keep this up for the rest of your life? We're not saying you have to quit the force, we're _suggesting_ you. It's a difference. We're just worried about what you're getting yourself into."

Judy's confusion was quickly replaced by anger. "You think I can't handle it? You think I can't handle everything that's in front of us?!"

Stu shook his head, "No, we didn't say that!"

Bonnie nodded, "It's not what you think!"

"That's it?!" Judy exclaimed furiously at her parents' stubbornness. "You came all this way to see me, and you're telling me to quit?!" Her paws grabbed her head over the sudden exasperation, and she began to gesture her arms wildly, "This is supposed to be a good thing! My dream! My big chance! What can't you just be happy for me?! After everything you've done for me?!"

"We're not saying that!" Bonnie shot back. "We're saying that you have no idea what you're up against! We're talking about the Joker, a freak dressed up like a clown! He's different than all the bad guys you caught! What if he does something horrendous, you didn't expect it, and people get hurt along the way? The longer this keeps up, there's no going back. You can't turn things back to the way they were."

Judy buried her face in her paws, trying to hold in all the anger. She said nothing at first, letting Bonnie and Stu lay out everything they had to explain. As she began to calm down, she softly began to make a fact on the topic, "If the Joker's everything they say he is, then this city needs heroes. The world needs heroes. That's why I have to be. I have to keep fighting. And I have to keep trying… because somebody has to."

Bonnie admitted with a sigh, "You're right, Judy. The world _needs_ heroes. But only their resources and knowledge, not their bodies and lives. That time is long gone."

Judy wondered, "You're afraid that if I stay a cop, I'll fail?"

"No…" Bonnie replied, tears welling up and streaming down her furry cheeks. "We're afraid that you want to." Stu planted his paws on her shoulders, and agreed to her wife's statement with a nod.

In an instant, Judy's face betrayed just how deeply these words cut her through. There was a long moment of silence. For the first time in a long while, she witnessed someone deeply concerned of her well-being, deeply worried for her life at risk.

Before Judy could respond, she was interrupted by Alicia, who entered the balcony. "Hey, Jude. Mind if I borrow you? There's a line of special guests itching to meet you."

Judy silently nodded. For now, at least, it seemed to be the only thing distracting her from seeing her parents' grief. She and Alicia retreated back into the penthouse, leaving Bonnie and Stu alone and at a loss for words.


	12. Joker's Party Crashing

Meanwhile at Precinct One, Detective Jennifer Ramirez with folder in hand went up to Lieutenant Cluck, who was presumably on his way home. She cried urgently, "Liuetenant!"

Cluck responded to his subordinate's plight, "Yes, Detective?"

"That Joker card pinned to the fake Hopps?" Ramirez handed the folder. "Forensics found three sets of DNA."

Curious, Cluck opened the pages and asked, "Any matches?"

Ramirez answered, "The DNA belongs to Judge Tortimer, Alicia Garnet, and Chief Bogo."

"The Joker's telling us who he's targeting," Cluck assumed, his heart heaving with suspicion and worry. The clown wasn't kidding about his promise to slaughter a few animals tonight. Boldness regained, the new objective was established, "Send a unit over to Tortimer's house, and tell Woltz to find Garnet. Where's Bogo?"

Ramirez responded, "He's at City Hall."

"Seal the building. Let no one in or out until I get there," Cluck instructed, and he jogged to his car.

"Got it," Ramirez complied.

* * *

Within several minutes, the political architecture was surrounded by dozens of ZPD officials. In one particular office, Cluck and a few by his side stormed in, and Bogo was surprised by the barge-in. He demanded, "Cluck? What in the world do you think you're doing?"

"Good, he's secure," Cluck breathed in relief. He turned to his men, "I want a floor by floor search of this entire building." His attention shifted to Bogo's, "Sorry, sir, but we believe the Joker's made a threat against your life."

* * *

At roughly the same time, a knock sounded on Tortimer's dwelling. When he opened it, two hippopotamuses stood in the doorway. One flashed a badge, and inquired, "Judge Tortimer?" The tortoise nodded in affirmation. "We're undercover patrol for the ZPD. Mr. Tortimer, there's been a threat against your life. We want you to come with us to be placed under protective custody."

The tortoise stared back for a second, before stuttering back to life. "Uh, yes. Of course. Can you hold on a second? I want to get some stuff together if I'm going to be stuck with the police for a while."

The first hippo insisted, "Judge, this is a matter of life and death. It's extremely important that you come with us immediately."

Tortimer eyed suspiciously, "Without telling me where we're going? You aren't giving me enough information!"

The second hippo shrugged, "I'm sorry, sir, even we don't know where we're going."

The first hippo added, "Grab your keys. We believe not having you in the squad car will decrease suspicion and the likelihood of attacks. You'll follow us in your own vehicle." He handed an envelope to Tortimer, "Take the envelope, get in the car, and open it. It'll tell you where you're going." Reluctantly, the tortoise accepted.

* * *

After a few meet-and-greets with the guests, Alicia led Jason to a somewhat private spot at the penthouse. She said, "Okay, now that it's just you and me, let's talk business." Her face turned serious, "Is there something you wanna ask me?"

Jason pouted, "Red, you can't possibly leave me alone with the party favors. I want to spend some time with you, too. After all, this is your party."

Alicia chuckled awkwardly, "Well, I've been busy introducing Judy to my AidMed pals."

Jason smirked, "I don't believe it. The whole Mob is after you, and you're having a party without knowing something might happen? I mean, are you afraid, even about your guests?"

Alicia stifled a laugh, "The Mob doesn't scare me one bit. The only thing I'm afraid of is losing the people I know and care about."

* * *

At the office in City Hall, Bogo lightly reprimanded, "Cluck, you're unlikely to find out for yourself, so take my word for it. Most officials in Precinct One get a lot of death threats. I found the appropriate response to these kinds of situations a long time ago." He pulled out a bottle of campaign and a glass, "Would you like a drink?"

* * *

"Them gunning for you kinda makes you see things more clearly," Alicia continued in her private meeting with Jason.

"Yeah, I bet," Jason nodded.

"It also makes you think about things you can't stand losing," Alicia notified. "Say, given that I have a break from my prosecution, you'd like to ask me something. Something that'll make me want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Well…" Jason knew what he was hoping for. His girlfriend's statement just gave him the edge he needed to say a few words that would bond them forever. Then again, he was saving it until the end. "That is quite a commitment."

"Not if the Mob has their way, Jas," Alicia grinned.

* * *

Bogo poured a glass of wine, "It'd be good to explain to my wife and daughter why I'm late for dinner tonight."

"Chief, the Joker card had traces of your DNA on it," Cluck stated. His associate, a lion by the name of Detective Leon Wilson, entered the office with an important document in his claw.

* * *

"Aw, come on," Alicia giggled. "Don't keep me in the dark. You wanted to ask me something, right? Say it."

"Okay, let's get serious," Jason found his chance. "I hope it doesn't involve chance."

"You have my word," Alicia affirmed. She began hoping for the answer to her boyfriend's plea.

* * *

"How did they get my DNA?" Bogo stood up from his desk with a puzzled look.

Peering through the files Wilson handed him, Cluck reported, "I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps somebody with access to City Hall or your house must have picked it. Like tissue or glass or…"

 _Glass..._

The blood drained from Cluck's face when he noticed Bogo taking a small sip.

" **NO, WAIT!** "

* * *

"I've got four words," Jason bent to the floor on one knee with a desperate, adamant look on his face, and seized Alicia's paw. She stared at him with eyes curiosity and eagerness. "Four words that'll change our lives forever…"

"Go on…" Alicia breathed with anticipation. "I'm listening…"

"Ali, come with me!"

Those weren't the words Alicia expected to hear, and the tone was brimmed with urgency. Judy appeared behind her, the latter unable to expect her best friend doing a chokehold on her neck and dragging her away.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Jason exclaimed shockingly. "Hopps!" Strangely enough, the rabbit officer off-duty ignored the assistant DA's demand.

* * *

Judge Tortimer got into his car and fumbled with his keys. Taking a quick assumption, the Joker was probably the reason why he was requested to move right now. Just when the tortoise was expected to have a peaceful rest, the clown's threat was beginning to pester him. Watching the two officers pulling their car out into the street, Tortimer opened the envelope and read its content: a single word, 'Up.' Thinking that this must be a joke, the judge rolled his eyes…

…right before a colossal fireball erupted from the car's undercarriage. Tortimer felt only a split second of heat, only saw a split second of light. His car lurched up into the air, bounced on its front end, and crashed back onto the street. The two phony cops kept driving, only briefly glancing back in the mirrors. The car's upholstery was still aflame, and around the vehicle rained Joker playing cards.

* * *

Bogo was grabbing his throat, gurgling out unintelligible syllables. He stumbled around, searching for someone, grabbing at anyone to help him. A frantic Cluck caught the buffalo and gently eased him to the floor, attempting to soothe him. Wilson examined the tainted campaigned on the desk, and realized that the Joker replaced it with acid. "Get a medic!" Cluck shouted urgently.

* * *

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Alicia shouted, struggling to remove Judy's arms. "I was seconds away from hearing Jason's four words!"

"You gotta hide!" Judy hissed, dragging her friend to a nearby closet. "They're coming for you!"

"Hide?!" Alicia exclaimed. "They're coming for me?! What do you mean?"

"I received a call from Precinct One," Judy explained hastily. "The Joker's coming, and he's gonna kill you!"

"The Joker?! He's coming?!"

"I have to hide you! To keep you safe!"

"You're not making any—"

 **BANG!** The sound of a gunshot answered Alicia's question. Without delay, Judy shoved her into the closet and locked it with a broom. Finally understanding what her friend meant, she let out her voice from inside, "Okay, I'll do as you say. I'll stay hidden."

"Good to hear it," Judy nodded. "Don't move until the coast is clear, okay?"

"Okay. But be careful, Judy," Alicia informed. "And for everyone's sake, I hope you know what you're doing!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Judy smiled back to her barricaded friend, and she hurried back to the party.

Tracing to the source of the gunshot, the waiters, revealed to be hired gunmammals sent by the Joker to infiltrate Palmtrees, were throwing down their platters and pulling out handguns. The gunfire from one of the waiters sent panic and agitation in rolling waves throughout the penthouse. Carts were turned over to grab rifles, hidden under piles of napkins and silverware. Amidst all the chaos, few noticed the group of five entering the room and shoving aside an unconscious Michael Woltz: four jackals armed with assault rifles, led by the Joker himself, bearing a shotgun. "We made it!" he announced to his entourage, and fired into the air to get the attention of all party guests present. Everyone moved to the sides of the room, allowing the waiters-turned-thugs to congregate in the center and clear a walking space for their boss.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemammals!" the Joker announced to the fearful guests held at gunpoint. He strolled along, as if he was just another invitee. "We are tonight's entertainment!" Wandering up to a nearby serving table, he took a bite from a shrimp cocktail, "Sorry to barge in uninvited, but I thought we'd come in to have some party games! But first, one question: where is Alicia Garnet?"

He paused for an answer, and heard nothing. He peered through the sea of terrified faces, looking for one more terrified than the others. Alicia was nowhere to be seen. The Joker sauntered up to the edge of the crowd, brandishing his shotgun. He grabbed a glass of carrot juice out of Morgana the Rabbit's paw, shook most of its content, drank it whole, and placed it at a separate table.

The Joker started slapping a few animals he passed by. He casually asked, "You know where Alicia is?" A frightened headshake back from Chad the Tiger. "Do you know where she is?" Another headshake from Janice the Sheep, who shrank back into the crowd. The Joker then grabbed Gideon's mouth, squeezing his furry cheeks in his paws, "Hey, fox boy. You know where I can find Alicia Garnet? I need to talk to her about something. Something little." He forced the fox's head to roll back and forth, before turning away. "No? Okay."

The Joker walked up the Garnets, Amanda and Jon doing their best to defend their three terrified children, Andrew, Henry, and Elise. Out of all the kids in the family, Alicia, the eldest, was absent. The Joker grabbed an olive from a nearby snack platter and scarfed it down, before making a new offer, "You know what? If I can't find Alicia, I'll just settle for his loved ones."

Jon attempted to mask his fear, and boldly countered, "We're not intimidated by thugs."

The Joker paused, and narrowed his eyes at this brash outburst, almost as if he seemed puzzled. "You know…" he said, setting down his shotgun on the table beside him. "You remind me of my father." Jon looked around, confused as how to respond. Suddenly, the Joker grabbed him by the back of his neck and pressed a knife against his cheek. "I **HATED** my father!"

"Jon!" Amanda gasped.

"Okay, stop! That's enough."

"Don't hurt the family, please. They're friends of ours."

The two voices a few feet away prompted the Joker to pause. Curious about who interrupted him, he turned to face the disturbance. He spotted Bonnie and Stu Hopps, the husband barricading the frightened bunny children with his body, and the wife boldly stepping into the empty space. Releasing Jon, the Joker stared with an amused smile, and began to advance towards the Hopps family.

"Well, hello!" the Joker waved at Bonnie and Stu, using a condescending tone like one may use towards someone he never met. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Hopps. And you brought the little Hoppses with you."

Bonnie shivered, "H-H-How did you know who we are?"

The Joker answered, "I figured Judy Hopps is a carrot-farming bunny from Bunnyburrow, a bunny from a huge carrot-family… like you." The revelation sent chills down Bonnie and Stu's spines, "And small word cries out that the whole fam's coming to the party, right here in the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant. Alicia knows how to throw a party; she's generous to invite you all to her penthouse." He added gleefully, "Mama Bunny, Papa Bunny, and all the little Baby Bunnies."

Stu pointed out, "Technically, that's not the whole family. We only brought fifty kids out of two-hundred seventy five."

The Joker chuckled, "That's cool. I'm fine with a small or big number." He added as an afterthought, "Say, is your Judy-Wudy with you? Did you bring her, too? I _definitely_ want to meet her in person."

Stu sweated nervously, "Uh… J-J-Judy…?"

"She's always the favorite in your fam," the Joker smiled coyly. "She's fast, strong, caring, brave, trustworthy, and beautiful, like this Mama Bunny here."

Stu's fear rose to a new level, "B-B-B-Bonnie?!"

Coming up close to Bonnie, the Joker circled around her, knife still in his paw. He spoke, "You're Judy's fairy godmother. And you are beautiful." Bonnie tried to look brave, but still kept a careful eye on the clown. "Oh, you look nervous, honey. Is it the scars? You wanna know how I got 'em?"

"Come here, hey… Look at me." The Joker reached out, clutched the back of Bonnie's neck, and rested the cool steel of the blade against her cheek. She tried to jerk her face away, but he kept pulling her back as he wove his yarn. "You see, I had a wife, too. She's beautiful, like you. A caring wife, who tells me that I worry too much. Who tells me that I oughta smile a bit more. Who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks. Hey…"

Bonnie attempted to wrest her face again, but the Joker grabbed the side of her head and forced her to look him in the eye. "One day, they carve her face. Obviously, we don't have money for surgeries; she naturally can't handle the trauma. I just want to see her smile again, hmm? I just want her to know that I don't care about her scars. So... I stick a razor in my muzzle and do this..." The clown reenacted the scene by wagging his tongue, pretending his knife was a razor. "…to myself. And you know what?" He suddenly got very serious, "She can't stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side." He then grinned again, "Now I'm always smiling."

Seizing her chance, Bonnie jaded the Joker in the stomach, and shoved away from him. He stepped back and doubled over, but kept eye contact, and chuckled lightly. He remarked, "A little fight in you, eh? I like that."

" **Then you're gonna love me.** "

A dangerously female voice echoed into the room. A while blur sped onto a henchmammal, slamming him into the floor. The Joker whirled around to face the newcomer, and Bonnie, Stu, the little Hopps kids, and the Bunnyburrow locals smiled joyously. Judy was here to save everyone!

Janice cheered, "Judy! You're here!"

Chad cried, "Just in time to save us!"

Gideon rooted, "Go get 'em!"

"Bring it on, you punks! I'll take on every one of ya!" Judy shouted vigorously, and she promptly went to work fighting the thugs, focusing her strength between her rabbit feet for jumping and kicking, and her paws for punching and throwing. After totaling approximately five thugs, Judy felt a set of paws grabbing her ears and found her body restrained by a henchmammal. The Joker came up and kicked the rabbit to the chest, prompting a cry of pain. Glancing over, she saw the clown triggering a knife in the toe of his shoe to extend, as a surprise weapon for the second blow.

"Whoops!" Judy yelped. She quickly deflected the blow with a lift of her foot, and a hard kick effortlessly split the knife from the Joker's shoe. With her captor distracted, she broke free and slugged him down to the floor, before giving another fierce kick across the clown's face. The Joker yelled out, both in pain and at the fact he had just been kicked in the muzzle by a bunny. Stumbling away, he looked for a temporary place to recover. Spotting a pistol, he crawled over and grabbed it.

Meanwhile, Judy was dispatching the last few thugs, defeating them with skill and tenacity. Turning to finish off the Joker, she saw him holding Bonnie by a large window with a gun forced under her neck. Judy promptly converted the uncertainty into anger. She issued her warning, "Drop the gun, clown!"

"Oh, little fluffy doesn't like it when I play with the other little fluffies, hm?" the Joker laughed amusingly. "Sure, I'll drop the gun. But first, you turn in your badge and quit the ZPD."

Bonnie cried desperately, "No! Don't listen to him!"

Judy assured her terrified mother, "Don't worry, Mom. It's gonna be alright. I'll save you, I promise."

Nonchalantly, the Joker raised his pistol up above his head and fired into the windowpane behind him, shattering it. He took a few steps back, then teasingly began holding Bonnie half out the window.

Judy and Stu yelled in unison, "Let her go!"

The Joker looked over, and mockingly narrowed his eyes. "Very poor choice of words." With a cackle, he tossed Bonnie out the penthouse.

" **MOM!** " Judy sprinted past the Joker and out the windowpane. Luckily, the window didn't open up onto a straight fall. The roof sloped steeply before becoming a vertical drop. Still, Bonnie was sliding towards the edge, screaming.

" **HELP! HELP ME!** "

" **HANG ON!** "

Judy ran over and quickly grabbed her mother, and then tried running back up the roof, but the glass underfoot proved too slippery. " **WE'RE SLIPPING!** " she cried frantically, turning to see themselves going over the edge of the roof.

Bonnie shrieked, " **WE'RE GONNA DIE! HOLD ME, JUDY!** "

The two rabbits wrapped in each other's arms, and as they fell, they closed their eyes and screamed for their lives, trying everything possible to make sure a miracle of some sort could save them.

Suddenly, the rushing wind all drowned out.

 ** _CUSH!_**

The sound of cushioning woke Judy and Bonnie from their trance. Opening their eyes, they saw that they landed on top of a giant mattress positioned by a truck. Releasing each other from the hug, Judy and Bonnie slowly eased into a sitting position, and they panted heavily over the experience.

"Are you okay?" Judy asked in concern, quickly losing her breath.

"Let's not do that again," Bonnie suggested wearily.

A crowd of people had started to gather, curious at the spectacle. Bonnie leaned over to give Judy another hug, this time out of gratitude, and gave a relieved whisper to her daughter's ear, "Thank you…"

Judy responded with a hug of her own, "It's alright. You're safe now."

* * *

By the time Judy got back up to the penthouse, the Joker and his crew had vanished without a trace. Back inside, Nick had just returned to the party with a plate of sandwiches in his hand. Luckily, none of the guests were hurt after the clown's departure.

"I went to the bathroom," the fox explained. "Did I miss anything?"

Gideon shrugged, "Oh, you have no idea…"

Meanwhile, Alicia was still locked in the closet. She voiced out, asking someone to let her out, to let her know if the coast was clear. "Hello? Is it over already? Can I get out now? Judy? Anybody?"


	13. Detective Work

The following day at ZPD Precinct One Headquarters, Cluck and his fellow officers were discussing the possible ramifications of the recent killings. One of his most trusted allies in the force, Detective Leon Wilson, voiced his opinion, "Jim, it's over."

Cluck rubbed his beak, "As long as the Mob doesn't get to Lau, we've cut off their funds."

"But with what's happened last night, the prosecution's over," Wilson stated. "No one's gonna stand up in front of a judge when an honest judge and a police chief are blown away left and right."

Cluck questioned, "What about Garnet? She's as stubborn as Hopps, but it looks like everybody admires her dedication to justice."

Wilson assumed, "If the rabbit attorney's got any sense, she's half-way to Bunnyburrow—"

The sound of a door slam nearly surprised the two, and they turned their heads to see Alicia Garnet storming in. By the look on her face, she was determined as ever, but pretty much upset.

"Where is he? Where does Bogo keep his trash?"

And just like that, below Precinct One, Lau sat in one of the holding cells, apparently resigned to his fate. Having heard about the recent murders, the red panda accountant almost expected the cell door opening, especially with Alicia coming inside.

"You. With me. In court," Alicia demanded, holding a bulletproof vest in her right paw. "We need you alive long enough to get you on record."

"You can't protect me," Lau retorted. "You can't even protect yourselves."

"If you refuse to cooperate, you're not coming back here. Instead, you'll be going to County," Alicia countered. "How long are you gonna calculate your last in there?" She tossed the body armor onto Lau's lap, her angry expression festering.

* * *

At the Palmtress penthouse, Bonnie and Stu embraced Judy, and the three squeezed each other in a grateful hug. Stu breathed in relief, "That was a gutsy move you did last night. You saved your mother, and by the time those goons left, no one got hurt."

After a few seconds, the three let each other go, and Judy forced a smile. "Thank God you guys are alright." And then, her face sported a serious look, "Do you really have to go back to Bunnyburrow?"

Stu stated, "We imagined it's the safest place in the world, away from bad guys like the Joker. Gideon, Chad, Morgana, and Janice had already gone back."

Bonnie smiled, "Alicia and her parents are kind enough to let us and your brothers and sisters stay for the rest of the night. We hate to go outside on the streets when it's dark out."

Judy agreed, "Who knows what could've happened to you if you did?" She sighed deeply, "The way the Joker did to the city judge…" She added with a grim certainty clutching her heart, "…and Chief Bogo. He's such a great cop, and a better chief. I never knew that he… he…" She took a shuddering breath, and she was unable to speak more. "I should've been there," Judy choked out. "I should've been on duty. If I hadn't, I…"

A single tear trickled down Judy's face. She remembered how Charles Bogo, the ex-chief of Precinct One, Judy's former superior, would often hold meetings in the briefing room, giving officers a chance to take cases… or a job at Parking Duty. That was when things had been different before the clown entered the scene. Judy could practically remember Bogo with the snarky demeanor, the no-nonsense attitude, and the fiery temper – but beneath that rough exterior beats a heart of gold, a strong dedication to justice, and a genuine care for his comrades, even for the first rabbit in the force, and even if his protests fell on deaf ears. The sunlight would reflect in from the windows in his office, warm and friendly, and thoughts of a world full of good cops would be around the corner. All of that was washed away now, vanished like a lost thought.

Trying to distract herself from regret, Judy changed the topic, "Was it my fault that the Joker is killing animals?"

Bonnie said warmly, "You don't have to blame yourself, Judy. You did what you felt was right. Many of us would have died if you hadn't acted that night."

Stu chuckled, "It's a good thing we're still living, Jude the Dude. If it wasn't for you, the Joker would've gotten the drop on us at the party."

Reinvigorated by the comforting words of her parents, Judy smiled back, "Thanks, guys. You've been there for me when I needed you most."

Bonnie replied, "We would never give up on you. Never."

Stu agreed, "Never."

Judy's smile faded, "But it doesn't change the fact that Bogo's dead. Without him, Precinct One's in disarray." She shook her head irritably, "And it's only gonna get worse." She then composed herself with a determined look, "But I'll stop him this time. Me working with Alicia, Nick, Cluck, and all the others at the ZPD will certainly help bring the clown down faster than the sun in the middle of July."

Bonnie interjected, "To be honest with you, I don't think it's that simple. Like we said before, the Joker is different that all the criminals you've caught. And by different, I mean… _way_ different."

Judy's smile returned, "Wow, one minute you're convincing me to quit the force, and the next minute, you're rooting for me?" He added with a laugh, "This is some weird family I belonged to…"

Stu chuckled, "It's no big deal, as long as you keep staying on your toes. But if anything happens to our girl…" He added with uncertainty, "…we don't know what to do."

Bonnie explained, "What you father means, hon, is that you have no idea what you're up against."

Judy laughed again, "Are you bringing that up again? The Joker's nothing more than a murderous madmammal. If there's one thing I've learned, criminals aren't complicated to figure out. He's the same, like all those I've faced a year ago."

Bonnie stated, "I hate to disagree with you, but they're not all the same." She cleared her throat, "This is a story about my father Ezekiel Hopps, who, like you, wanted to try and fulfill his dreams. A long time ago, he worked for the local government."

Judy's eyes widened, "Gramps? He's a government agent?"

Bonnie nodded, "Uh-huh. In his second year, Ezekiel was sent on a mission in Dowanada." Judy sat down on a chair as she listened to her mother's fable. "His employers were trying to buy the tribal leaders' loyalty with enormous amounts of cash. But the delivery trucks kept getting raided by a highway robber in a village just west of the capital, and since the Dowanada operations were crucial, Ezekiel was told to look for the stolen deposits and the bandit. He would access the CIAA's database and look up bank information, searching for anyone who made sudden, large deposits. In six months, though, Ezekiel never found any abnormal activity, and he never got any closer to confronting the bandit. But one day, he noticed some little dogs playing in the forest. Ezekiel looked down, and saw them building a small castle with blocks of money each worth five hundred thousand dollars. The bandit had been throwing the money away."

Judy cocked her head in confusion, "So why did he steal it?"

Bonnie answered, "Because he found it fun. He thought of it as a game. You see, Judy, some people aren't looking for anything like money and power like the others do. They don't think like us, they can't be bullied, reasoned, or argued with. Some people just want to watch the world burn."

Judy said nothing, only letting her mind absorb her mother's words.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hopps!" Amanda called from the door. "The taxi is here!"

"Oh, just in time!" Bonnie cried. "We gotta go! We love you, bye!"

"Take care, Jude!" Stu added. "See you later!"

The two abruptly hugged and kissed Judy, and left for the penthouse exit. The lone rabbit remained sat on the chair, all concerns leaving her. The words echoed in her mind, making her wonder what kind of enemy she was facing, and even worse, what facing that enemy would do to herself.

Watch the world burn.

Watch the world burn.

Burn…

Burn…

Burn…

* * *

 _There was a large noise ringing in the hallway. Judy heard the Precinct One alarm blaring, and hundreds of cops dispatched and ready for action. Not wanting to miss the action, the rabbit followed, eagerly determined to see it through to the end._

 _And suddenly, a hideous laugh echoed from the darkness. And a scream, "Judy! Help!"_

 _Another scream, "Jude! Help!"_

 _"_ _Judy! Help!"_

 _"_ _Somebody help us!"_

 _"_ _Carrots! Hopps! Judy!"_

 _The screams kept ringing. Those voices… Alicia… Nick! Bonnie! Stu! All the others! The Joker had them!_

 _Focusing her stamina, Judy dashed into the infinite darkness, disregarding the cries and shouts of her fellow officers to follow the mission, to obey a direct order, to do her job. The more she sprinted through the dark, the more they fearfully realized the rabbit's intention to abandon them to their fate. Another charge, and the officers were consumed by an ocean of flame. Judy ignored their burning demise, and frantically searched for the source of those cries for help._

 _Again, a whooping cackle, and screams of Judy's name._

 _Judy was running, running as fast as she could, but the voices grew no nearer. Everything was dark. All there were, were the voices._

 _"_ _JUDY!"_

 _Then screaming._

 _And laughing._

* * *

Later that evening, the Hopps family had already left for Bunnyburrow, and Judy had slightly recovered from her haunting vision. News reports displayed in television screens throughout the city gave their personal opinions regarding last night. Bit by bit, the more the citizens watched, their trust in the hero cop was lightly shaken.

" _...overlooking the fact that Officer Hopps has demonstrated a very altruistic attitude towards this city. You can't honestly advocate that she just stop?_ "

" _If Judy Hopps was truly selfless, she would retire from the force and turn herself in. We owe her a debt for protecting our beloved city. She stood up for us, she protected us… but she showed us over the past night that she failed to stop this terrorist called the Joker. Noble her intentions may be, she has clearly only provoked the criminal underworld, and unless we want the Joker killings to continue, I maintain that we have to pressure the rabbit to surrender._ "

" _Well, if you look at these public opinion polls, a majority of those surveyed expressed support for Hopps as they did Garnet. Perhaps we should give her more time. Maybe she'll bring in the Joker soon enough._ "

" _Fine, give her another week. When ten more animals die, we'll see where public opinion stands._ "

At that moment, an eerie message founds its way crawling into the police scanners, and a familiar voice beckoned the officers to follow it.

" _…_ _Bambi and Thumper Avenue. You'll find Alicia Garnet there._ "

This message summoned law enforcement to an apartment. In one room, two policemen, a rhino and an elephant, were found dead in a table. A Precinct One unit comprised of Judy, Cluck, and Ramirez entered the scene, disgusted by the grotesque scene, but nonetheless pressed to investigate the murder. Like previous victims, these corpses had their faces painted in the resemblance of the fiendish clown's makeup, holding cards in their paws and bearing scars on their mouths.

"Check the names on their IDs," Cluck instructed.

Wearing sterile gloves, Judy slowly reached her paws towards the identification cards and lifted them up, before taking a closer glance. "Richard Garnet… and Patrick Alicia…" she scanned.

Realizing what the cryptic message translated, Cluck spoke, "Alicia Garnet."

Judy turned to her fellow cops with a suggestive look, "I'm gonna need ten minutes with the scene before we contaminate it."

"Us contaminate it?" Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "It's because of you, those mammals were dead—"

"Detective!" Cluck snapped at the requisition. "Hopps did nothing wrong, you know that. It was the Joker. We just arrived here, and so did she. With us, at least."

Judy agreed, "He's right. The clown's just added two more on his list. We'll make sure he won't take anyone else." With that, the police lieutenant motioned Ramirez and the others to comply to her request, albeit with a bit of reluctance. Observing a stray bullet hole on a wall nearby, Judy carefully advanced towards it.

Cluck pointed out, "That's brick underneath, Hopps. Are you're going to take a ballistics test of a shattered bullet?"

"Nope," Judy replied, taking out a perforating device. "I'm taking fingerprints." She proceeded to cut a square around the shattered bullet, until it turned into a square brick. This could be the next step in figuring out how to stop the clown. Looking around for more clues, Cluck found a piece of evidence worth noticing: a newspaper article lying in plain sight on the table.

"Whatever you're trying to do, make it fast," the chicken suggested. "We've found the Joker's next target. He's put it in tomorrow's paper." Judy turned to him and realized what he discovered.

* * *

When Nick entered Judy's office in Precinct One Headquarters, he was greeted with a mess. Papers were lying all over the desk; case files, printouts from Google Maps, and registries. A very large map was taped up against the wall and covered with marker writing. "What a mess!" Nick remarked. "Carrots, you seriously need to clean this up."

"Nick, glad you could make it! Come here!" Judy motioned from her desk. She was working around the clock at her desktop, a bowl of fried carrots and a newspaper right beside her.

"What's the situation, Fluff?" Nick asked. "Is the Joker planning another horrendous party game?"

"It's more like a good news-bad news situation kind of party game," Judy replied. "Which news should I start with first?"

"Bad news is nice. I always start with the bad news."

Judy swiveled around in her chair and grabbed the newspaper she received from Cluck. "Here's the bad news in yesterday's headline, the night after the party incident." She added with a smug grin, "Which you didn't bother to help."

"I was in the bathroom that time, okay?" Nick protested. "I had to let the dogs out, and I didn't see or hear anything since then."

"It's okay, I can deal with it," Judy chuckled playfully. "I'm fine taking out ten crooks by my lonesome."

"You sure are a busy bunny, huh?"

"And you are a busy fox. That makes us even."

Nick took the folded sheet, which was opened to the obituaries section. The biggest headline read, _Mayor Quill Garcia, aged 40, Dedicated Public Servant._ The only disturbing fact was the picture of the mayor painted with white makeup and red scars. The fox wondered, "Does the fashion show on the paper tell us that the mayor's dead?"

Judy shook her head, "No, but a certain clown plans him to be."

Nick looked up, "Wait, they're holding a memorial service for Chief Buffalo Butt, aren't they? The mayor's the speaker."

Judy snapped her fingers, "Exactly! It's the perfect opportunity for the clown to make an attack. When he shows up, we'll catch him!" She brimmed with enthusiasm, "He'll be put behind bars, and no one gonna die anymore."

Nick smirked, "That's what I like about you best. You're always the optimist."

Judy turned back to her desk to grab some more papers, "By the way, Nick, there's something else I found from the obituary. What do you see?"

Nick re-read it, and something caught his eye, "The author's name… _Sally Perkins._ "

Judy explained, "I did a search on the name: none. Online profile: none. Anything: none. So I rang up Forensics, and after an hour, they pulled some files for me." She shook the papers in her paw, "We discovered that it's a recorded alias for Pappagello."

Nick responded, "Pappagello, huh? That's the name of the parrot who aligned with crime bosses all over the city. Whenever he needed dirty work done, all he had to do was talk to the big boys. Except for Mr. Big, since he works as an independent."

Judy remarked, "You certainly had a way with names."

Nick nodded, "Uh-huh. And what's their deal?"

Judy answered, "That, my trusty friend, led me to believe that the Joker's working for Pappagello and the Mob. It all made sense, that's why he's after us."

Nick crossed his arms, "Those bozos don't know when to quit, do they?"

Judy began to wrap up her findings, "Forensics gave me some more case files, so with a shattered bullet I got from last night, I went digging for other people who were in the same gang, and look what I found…" She stood up and went to where the map was. Searching for her mark, she jabbed at a black X drawn over a building. "1502 Randolph Apartments, occupied by Melvin White, a snow leopard and illegal arms dealer. The apartment opens up right over the park, and provides an excellent view of where the memorial service is. That's a perfect place to put a sniper, and the Joker will be there himself!"

Nick laughed proudly, "Carrots, you're a genius!"

Judy smiled coyly, "I know, right? From all my training and experiences in the Academy, I hoped you'd realize that."

Nick gave her head a playful ruffle, "Smart bunny."

Judy patted his back, "Student fox."

"Anyways, we better get ready," Judy stretched her arms, rejuvenating herself from all the hard work. "Mayor Garcia's counting on us."

"Alright," Nick confirmed. "I'll just stop by a milkshake and a burger."

Judy paused, and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, me too. I could use a snack. The service hasn't even started yet."

* * *

That afternoon, at the headquarters of Walrus Tech Enterprises, Coleman Reese met with CEO Lucius Walrus in the latter's office. "What can I do for you, Mr. Reese?" the walrus asked, peering through some business documents.

"You wanted me to do the diligence of that LSI Holdings deal again? Well, I've found some irregularities," Reese stated, a smug look crossing his face.

"Yes, I know," Lucius acknowledged. "Their CEO is in police custody because of those irregularities."

"No, sir. Not with their numbers. I meant _yours,_ " Reese corrected. "Applied Sciences: that entire dead-end department of WTE just vanished overnight months ago."

Upon hearing this, Walrus turned his head at the accountant, almost in disbelief.

"I went down to the archives and began pulling out some old files," Reese produced a diagram of a familiar military vehicle: the **Tumbler.** Folding out the schematics, he continued, "Don't tell me you didn't recognize your _baby_ out there making pancakes out of cars for months? Now you got the whole R &D Department burning through cash, claiming that it's related to..." He paused for effect, "…cellphones for the army? What are you building for _her_ now, a rocket ship? I want $10,000,000 a year for the rest of my life. In addition, I want this company to begin development of a sheep-themed amusement park as well, next to Critterland Zootopia."

After several moments of silence, Lucius, who maintained a straight, serious face during Reese's complaint, finally retorted, "Let me get this straight, Mr. Reese. You believe that one of the bravest, most courageous, and most influential police officers in Zootopia is using _my_ tech to beat up criminals? And your plan is to blackmail?" He paused, and took a deep breath, "Good luck."

Visibly shaken by this reply, Reese was at a loss for words. He naturally reconsidered his blackmail attempt as he returned the diagram to his superior. "Here, you can keep that," he said, and he left for the door. Glad that the ordeal was over and done with, Lucius resumed his work.

"R&D reassigned… government telecommunications project…" he muttered. "I don't recall my company having any government contracts."


	14. Blood on the Streets

"...even as they mourn the loss of Chief Bogo, the finest in the Zootopia Police Department have been wondering if the Joker will make good on his threat in the obituary column of _Zootopia Times_ to kill the mayor," reported Peter Moosebridge.

The entire police force of Zootopia, each representing the individual Precincts, was dressed in their formal blue uniforms. Hundreds of officers marched down Grand Avenue, while bagpipes and drums droned out _Balmoral._ Leading the procession was Mayor Garcia, accompanied by Alicia Garnet, Jason Dawes, and his cabinet. The day was unusually cold, so the mayor and his entourage all wore scarves around their faces. The mournful parade crawled down the street to the park, where a podium was set up for the mayor to deliver what could very well be his last speech.

Lieutenant James Cluck was responsible for making sure it wasn't. Since the head of Precinct One lay dead, he was given temporary command. And he did not plan to fail today. Snipers were positioned along the nearby rooftops and on the fire escapes, and every officer was under orders to apprehend the Joker on sight, using deadly force if necessary. Still, Cluck wasn't soothed. He kept searching for the buildings' facades, searching the crowds lining the sidewalks, for even the slightest hint of the infamous clown who killed the chief. Cluck used a radio to contact his team, "What have you got on the roof?"

" _We're tight up here, but quite frankly, we have a lot of windows._ " Given this response, Cluck looked up and knew there was a good possibility of a hidden sniper somewhere behind one of the countless windows.

* * *

In the alleyway beside Randolph Apartments, Judy and Nick, in their normal attire, readied themselves for their new mission. The parade was just arriving at the park, and the mayor was preparing to speak.

"This is it," Judy addressed. "Ready to party?"

"Whatever works," Nick nodded. "I've already eaten a burger for a snack."

"Me too. Let's go!" And with that, the two stormed into the building, located a staircase, and climbed to the fifteenth floor. The whole way up, a single soul was absent. Within minutes, they were in front of Apartment 1502.

"How do we get in?" Nick asked, noticing the door was locked when he shook the knob.

"Leave it to me," Judy reached her pocket and took out a small clip designed to unlock doors. Focusing on the lock, she fumbled with it, until the knob clicked and the door swung over. Judy looked back to her partner with a smile, "One of the many benefits of a good cop: you don't use a key."

Suddenly, the sound of muffled yelling came from the other room. The rabbit and fox's ears snapped forward to an alert position, and they proceeded cautiously down the hallway.

The whole space was bare. There was no furniture in sight, no wallpaper, no carpet, no appliance, no tile. As they edged open the door to the room, they spotted a window with the cover drawn down, with some small mechanism attached. A cooking timer on the windowsill ticked down in seconds. It was paired by a telescope pointing down and out the window, like someone had been watching something on the street. In front of the setup was a large chair, on which seven animals were tied up.

* * *

"Chief Charles Bogo dedicated his life to law enforcement and to the protection of his community," Garcia began his speech. "I remember when I first took office, when we tackled one of the hardest cases our city ever faced, Bogo chased down the components of the Panthera crime family's illegal monetary and drug dealings across the ecosystems, providing valuable evidence of their crimes…"

Cluck sat behind and to the left of Mayor Garcia. He was slightly comforted by the fact that every policemammal in Zootopia was standing at attention before the podium. Still, he felt something was off. His eyes continually scanned the audience and the buildings; his intuition told him that the Joker was ready to strike.

"…the techniques Bogo used were controversial, some unpopular, but one may argue that they ultimately paid off," Garcia continued. "He exposed the hotbed of organized crime which lay in our city, and now thanks to him, we may sleep peacefully again. He is a true chief of Precinct One, a true hero, and a loyal officer to his crew…"

Cluck's gut suddenly took a wrenching turn. Something was definitely up. For some reason, his eyes gravitated to the soldiers suspiciously holding their rifles.

* * *

Judy and Nick cautiously walked up to the seven prisoners in the chair. The timer kept ticking. The seven animals were blindfolded, their arms and legs were tied down, and their mouths were taped over. They had no clothes on, save for their undergarments.

"What the heck…?" Nick wondered. Trying to ease their discomfort, Judy pinched her right paw against the end of the tape and removed it from a bound zebra.

"Who's there?" the zebra gasped. "Who's that?"

"Are you okay?" Judy asked. The timer kept ticking.

"Officer Hopps?" the zebra recognized the tone of her voice. "What… What's going on?"

"What happened to you?" Nick questioned.

"They…" the zebra shuddered, trying his best to explain. "They took our guns… and our uniforms…"

"Carrots, what is he talking about?" Nick asked his partner.

Judy wondered the same thing herself, but she knew it wasn't something good. The timer kept ticking.

* * *

"...and as we honor the sacrifice of this great buffalo, we must remember that vigilance is the price of safety."

"Stand by, honor guard! Atten-hut! Port arms!" The squad readied their rifles for the twenty-one gun salute. "Ready! Aim! Fire!" Seven shots rang out.

Cluck's piercing eyes never wandered away from the firing squad.

"Ready! Aim! Fire!" Seven more shots rang out.

Cluck assumed that the Joker was a master of disguise. His make-up was his trademark; he wouldn't forgo his war paint. And yet…

* * *

"Ready! Aim!"

The timer kept ticking. The zebra grew desperate, "Officer Hopps, please! Get to the parade! The Joker and his men… they're in front of the mayor!"

"What the…?" Judy's eyes widened. "How could you…"

" _We're_ the honor guard!"

* * *

"Fire!"

Then chaos.

Back up in the apartment, the timer stopped ticking, and the window shade whipped upwards. The police snipers, startled at the sudden movement, fired into the window, the bullets striking where the bound firing squad members had been sitting a minute before. Judy, Nick, and the prisoners all cringed away.

In the middle of the confusion, the fake soldiers pointed their rifles at Garcia, one of them revealing a fiendish smile, complete with a Chelsea grin. The entire cabinet recoiled in shock, some falling backwards in their chairs. They opened fire…

" **LOOK OUT!** "

In a surprise maneuver, Cluck shoved the mayor down to the stage floor. However, this noble act came at a price, when one bullet struck him in the chest. He grabbed his stomach, which was now bleeding profusely. The rest of the bullets only hit the podium.

The crowd was sent in a frenzy, animals scrambling past each other to cram into stores and restaurants, trying to get off the sidewalk. Without warning, the Joker's new recruits dropped their rifles and replaced them with submachine guns from the covering of their suit jackets. A rain of bullets erupted, and the frenzy increased. Those fortunate enough to stay indoors turned to the windows. Through the rippled glass, there were six officers with their machine guns, and countless animals running, and smoke, and red puddles…

A massacre had ensued in the streets. Dozens of animals, officer and citizen alike, were trapped like beasts to a slaughter. Many lay dead on the concrete, others desperately trotting away. There was a tiger, eyes frozen permanently. Two giraffes, their necks torn to shreds. Three construction beavers, their bodies flat as their tails. A little lamb, who had just been running by with a ball. And blood, blood. Death everywhere.

But despite the successful commencement of the butchering, the Joker was slightly annoyed at his failure to take the mayor's life. Leaving the rest of the work to his underlings, he put his rifle down, immersed himself within the sea of panic and blood, and disappeared within seconds.

The mass slaughter finally came to an end when the few surviving officers disarmed the thugs and restrained them, yet the panic never ceased. The entire cabinet, overwhelmed by this sudden hint of bewilderment, were escorted by Alicia, Detective Wilson, and several bodyguards out of the podium. Once Mayor Garcia was led away to his private limousine, Wilson focused his attention on his friend, Cluck, who hadn't moved at all since he placed the mayor out of harm's way, at the cost of taking a bullet to the chest. He was visibly shaken by the tragedy.

Alicia turned to Jason and hastily informed him, "I'll see you later!"

"Are you coming back?!" Jason called out.

Civilians and law enforcement alike were still dazed by this tragic turn of events. Alicia desperately made her to a certain ambulance, having trouble getting through the frenzied population, but relieved when she entered the back compartment. A few errant gunshots were heard, probably intended to quell the riotous crowd.

Slightly deterred, Alicia spotted one of the fake officers, a panther, at first glance, with a tourniquet around the leg wrapped by a medic. She stared at the captive phony with malice in her eyes. "Tell me what you know about the Joker."

The hired goon's only reply was a wide smile, the reinforced muzzle barely able to stifle a laugh. Desperate for answers, Alicia grabbed the panther's collar, and noticed another disturbing fact: three name tags were pinned on separate sides of the coat, and they printed familiar names, names that sent shivers down the rabbit district attorney's spine. _Amanda. Jon. Andrew. Elise. Henry. Bonnie. Stu._ Those were the names of hers and Judy's family members! Shocked and enraged of this revelation, Alicia made the assumption that they were the clown's next targets.

The panther's muzzle kept on defending itself from laughter. The rabbit saw that the ambulance key was inserted in the ignition, and no witness was nearby. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Alicia took the wheel. Fearing for his life, the panther vainly tried to free himself from his bonds.

* * *

The doorbell rang at the Cluck residence. A female chicken answered the door, praying to see her husband standing on the porch. Instead, she saw two of his fellow officers, Leon Wilson and Jennifer Ramirez, their faces long and regretful.

"I'm sorry…" Wilson whispered. That could only mean…

"No…" the female chicken's face crumpled, and she began to weep. Wilson held out his arms to comfort her, and she accepted, sobbing on his shoulder.

A small girl chick cautiously peeked out the door. "Mommy?"

"Antonia? Honey, go back inside. Go play with your brother, go ahead," her mother choked out, and continued to cry. The little chick took a few steps back, but curiosity and concern drew her out again.

"Shh… It's okay, Penelope," Wilson tried to soothe her crying, but inside, he was torn apart as well. James Cluck had been a model officer in the ZPD, strong and pleasant, brave and faithful, firm and kind, a friend to anyone who needed it. And now he was gone.

"Are you out there, rabbit?!" Penelope called into the street suddenly, her sorrow fermenting into rabbit. "Can you hear me?! It's your fault! You brought this madness on us! You did! You brought this on all of us!" Her sobbing intensified.

Antonia looked around, clutching her pink teddy bear close. Glancing through Wilson and Ramirez, she spotted the silhouette of a rabbit standing against the hood of the police car. As she stared, she saw her long ears droop with sorrow, as if she was unable to shake off the feeling of failure.

The sobs continued to echo across the street.


	15. Searching for Clues

The Precinct One officers regrouped at the station, quiet and regretful over today's events. It had been a hard day for everyone. As for Judy, she returned to her solitude in her office. Seeing her now, for the first time since the savage outbreak, she seemed to be taking it hardest of all. The rabbit seemed so melancholy; one plot had been foiled, only to let another life slip through her paws. And it wasn't even her doing! If she hadn't been in the parade, Cluck would still be alive. But even so…

"I'm being a terrible hero," Judy muttered to herself, banging her head on the desk.

Nick came in. "Hey, Carrots. Sorry things didn't turn out today…"

"Not now, Nick," Judy insisted, her ears drooping dejectedly. "Haven't we been through enough for one day?"

"I just came by with a piece of information I received from a few friends of mine," Nick came over to Judy's side and handed her a piece of paper. "Thought it could help us find you-know-who."

Judy looked at the paper, read it, and set it aside on the desk. She turned to Nick, her eyes widening in curiosity, "Does that mean…?"

Nick said confidently, "Look on the bright side, we're getting closer. We almost had the Joker today, and next time, his luck will run out. Third time's the charm!" He gave her a good rub-down, which certainly lifted her spirits a bit.

"True," Judy chuckled lightly. "Very true."

"Once we get him, we don't have to worry about any more killings on the streets," Nick added enthusiastically. "Like all those cops and citizens thrown into the butcher."

Judy's laughter increased, "Guess we're just not cut out for quiet lives anymore, huh?"

Nick supposed, "I guess so."

Judy stood up, her confidence regained, "Okay, let's do it! The Joker's still out there, and the best option we've got is to find clues of his whereabouts. Oh…" She added as an afterthought, "And I just want to say..." Her lips curled into a warm smile, "Thank you, for not giving up on me. You've always been there for me since my first case. You're the best."

Nick smiled back, "What do you think friends are for, Fluff?" He gave the rabbit another ruffle by the head, this time, that of comfort and sincerity. And with that, the two looked at each other's eyes, smiling at each other, as if they were attracted by an air of affection. Nothing could upset them during a talk between best friends. Or maybe, _more_ than just friends…?

After a few more minutes, Judy borrowed the paper from Nick and discovered it had an address, a photograph of a parrot in a birdcage, and a short message scribbled on it. "A very interesting clue. Perhaps _he_ could tell us… Alright, let's get started."

 **And so…**

When Clawhauser, Ramirez, Wilson, and Woltz turned, they noticed Judy and Nick dashing out of the station. The obese cheetah remarked, "Whoa, look at 'em go! Where are they going?"

Wilson assumed, "They're probably off to talk to someone who knows where the clown is." He took a bite out of a sandwich in his claw, "God help Judy with whoever she wants to talk to."

* * *

The lucrative nightclub was boisterous, crowded, and borderline psychedelic. Lasers and spotlights danced around with the patrons while stage fog and club-techno music wafted through the air. Salvatore Pappagello's birdcage was positioned at a large sofa on the show floor, both eating a cracker and striking up conversation with a female parrot, who happened to be his mistress.

"Can't we go somewhere more quieter?" the female parrot implored. "We can't hear each other talk!"

Despite the boisterous clamor pervading the interior of the establishment, Pappagello replied with a smug grin, "What makes you think I want to hear you talk, baby?"

"What?" the mistress widened her eyes. "I still can't hear you!"

It wasn't long until the parrot crime lord turned his head to see two unwanted guests gradually making their way. Judy and Nick forcibly shoved one grizzly bear bouncer over the metal railing overlooking the dance floor, a few patrons below startled of the unsuspected fall down. In response, Pappagello signaled a few more to dispose of the intruders.

Although somewhat preoccupied with their opponent in the front, Judy and Nick noticed that one muscle was attempting a sneak attack from behind. After the first thug was quickly dispatched, the second goon smashed a glass bottle on the back of Nick's head. As payback, the fox grabbed the ruffian's wrist and slammed his fist onto it, breaking it instantly. A burly grizzly bear thug tried a go, but was promptly sent flying back down a small flight of stairs by a fierce jab to the face. The last one standing was slammed by Judy against the wall, and then struck to the solar plexus, leaving the bear paralyzed.

With Pappagello's bouncers down for the count, Judy and Nick leapt on top of the table in front of the parrot, who, for some reason, was undaunted by the untimely arrival.

"Well, well, if it isn't Officer Hare and Officer Fox," he greeted sarcastically. "How nice of you two to drop in."

Fierce determination crossed the two's faces. Judy began, "Let's talk outside."

* * *

Meanwhile, Assistant DA Jason Dawes was nearly overwhelmed by the sheer number of paperwork he was tasked to handle. When his cellphone buzzed a ringtone, Jason answered it and recognized the caller. "Red, where have you been?"

" _Where are you, Jas?_ "

"I'm right where you should be, at Precinct One. I'm trying to deal with all the paperwork given to me by acting command. I'm getting the fingerprint analysis."

" _Jason, please! Listen to me!_ " Alicia's desperate cry boomed from the phone. " _You're not safe here!_ "

Jason brushed off those concerns, "Oh, c'mon! This is Precinct One!"

" _But Cluck is gone._ "

"He vouched for these people, remember?"

" _And he's dead._ "

Finally, Jason's body froze when he heard the details of the bad news. For a moment of two, the world was stiff around him. With much boldness he could muster, he replied to the phone, "What?"

" _The Joker's named my family next. Mom, Dad, Andrew, Henry, Elise…_ " Alicia's voice quivered. " _He'll probably add you next in his list afterwards._ "

"That's horrible," Jason understood his girlfriend's plight. "God, is there anyone, anyone in this town we can trust?"

" _We can trust Judy Hopps,_ " Alicia voiced suggestively. " _She's our hero cop, our best bet._ "

"Hopps?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "You mean the crazy bunny who dragged you away moments before I asked you? Look, I know you're her oldest friend and all—"

Alicia cut him off, " _Jason, trust me. Judy trusts me, and I trust her. You should, too. Whatever chance we have in cleaning up this mess, it now rests on her. If we don't do something fast, all those people on the streets will have died in vain._ "

"Alicia, please listen to—"

" _No, you listen!_ _My penthouse is the safest place in Zootopia. It may have been run over by the clown and his goons two nights ago, but it's definitely the best place. The best fort. Lucky for us, Mom, Dad, Andrew, Henry, and Elise are still inside. As soon as I can, I'll tell them to stay indoors until this is all over. In the meantime, don't tell anyone what I'm doing. I'll meet you later. I love you, bye._ "

"Okay, sure…" Jason reluctantly complied. "I love you, too."

And with that, the signal was hung up. Alicia was left to converse with her captive, the fake soldier panther, in a secluded tunnel in Tundratown.

* * *

Nick was dangling Pappagello in his bird cage, over the edge of a three story-high balcony. Judy interrogated the crime boss, "We found evidence that you and the Joker are making business deals together. You must've hired him to kill all these animals, like he just did earlier in the parade."

Pappagello smirked, "So what if I did?"

Judy narrowed her eyes, "You really _are_ up to something! Now, tell us where the Joker is. If you do, we'll see to it that you'll get a reduced sentence behind bars. Intimidate us all you want, we'll find the clown, and we'll get every bit of information out of you, if it's the _last_ thing we do."

Pappagello scoffed, "And if I say no?"

Judy and Nick stared at each other, and smirked. They knew the parrot was too stubborn to answer.

* * *

"Ice 'im."

That was how Pappagello was ripped out of his birdcage by Raymond the Polar Bear, his frail body left aloft the arctic subzero waters removed under the rug, courtesy of the semi-retired crime boss of Tundratown and close supporter of Judy Hopps, Mr. Big. Judy and Nick relayed the details of their investigation to the Arctic shrew crime boss, long before the defenseless parrot crime boss was held at riverpoint.

"Long time no see, Kinsley," Pappagello greeted the shrew in black by his first name. "We haven't seen each other since the Halloween show in '14. We've been friends for years. We broke bread together. Your grandmother cooked her special recipe cannoli for lunch. And how did you repay our friendship? Your polar bears froze the tidbits out of my grizzly bears when they accused them of house theft!" He chuckled to himself, "Yeah, old times, old times. Some things never die hard. Isn't that why you broke ties with us and became an independent boss? Living it up in your fancy house all day, doing nothing but make popsicles out of unsuspecting victims?"

Mr. Big replied, "It's better than robbing a bank, dealing drugs, and murdering animals, Sally. I've moved on since then. I have a daughter, who has a daughter. And I'm trying to do nice for my grand-mama." He gestured to a picture of his deceased grandmother, and a polar bear beside it did a cross sign to honor her.

Pappagello continued, "Which brings me to my next question: why are you helping that bunny of a freak show?" He motioned to Judy with a disdainful glare, "She's the hero cop of Zootopia."

"And the godmother to my granddaughter, who's recently born," Mr. Big gestured to his daughter, Fru-Fru, who just arrived cradling a baby shrew in her arms.

"I named her Judy," she explained.

"Awwww!" Judy cooed at how adorable the name was.

Mr. Big cleared his throat, "Enough talk, Sally. Be a good bird and tell Miss Hopps where the Joker is. If you don't…"

"You'll ice me?" Pappagello remained calm despite the impending threat. He coolly replied, "Listen, Kinsley, from one professional to another…" He motioned with his talons to accentuate that he was referring to himself, "…if you want to scare someone, pick a better spot. Depending on how subzero this is…" He shook his head assuredly, "…the ice wouldn't kill me."

"I'm counting on it," Mr. Big grinned mischievously. "Raymond?"

Taking the cue, Raymond plunged Pappagello into the water with a mighty toss and closed the hatch, prompting from him a gasp.

Then a scream of agonizing pain.

 **Later…**

There was a sickening crack as Pappagello was thrown to the table, his left talon popping as the bone splintered with the ice. Judy walked up to the injured crime boss, still wheezing in pain, and banged a fist on the wooden furniture with a face demanding answers. "Where is the Joker?!" she demanded.

"I-I-I-I don't know," Pappagello stammered painfully. "I don't know where he is. He found us."

"Well, does he have friends in his little posse?" Nick asked as he came over.

"Friends?" Pappagello winced. "You know this guy?"

"You must know something about him," Judy assumed. "Somebody has to know."

"Look, sweetheart," Pappagello tried to prop himself on his feathers, his expression laced with contempt. "Nobody's going to tell you anything. We've gone wise to your act. Cops, lawyers, people like you, you've got rules. The Joker, he's got no rules. Nobody's going to cross him for you. You want this guy, you have one way. But you already know what it is. Just take off your badge, quit the force, and let him come find you."

Judy growled, indignant at the suggestion. "Everybody tells me the same thing!"

Pappagello titled his head sarcastically, "If you like, you could wait for a few more animals to get killed while you make up your mind."

* * *

"You wanna play games?"

Alicia loaded a revolver in her paw and exposed its chamber to the captive panther, the ammo housing a small collection of bullets. To show that she was not playing around, she aimed it towards her right and pulled the trigger. **BANG!** The sound was more than enough to make the panther's blood run cold. Her temper quickly picked up the anger and caressed it, fed it, and let it grow into an inferno, until it burned brightly with dangerous intent. Alicia drew the gun against the panther's forehead. That _coward…_ He was an accomplice of the clown, complicit to aiding his twisted schemes. The moment she discovered the names of hers and Judy's families on the name tags, that's when she realized they were being threatened. Alicia would do whatever it takes to ensure her safety of her loved ones, to bring the Joker down…

"How does it feel?" she sneered at the victim in front of her.

"You wouldn't…" the panther shivered.

" **I WOULDN'T!** " Alicia roared, and she stuck the revolver further. Her temper reached a boiling point, the sudden urge to rage at someone kicking in. " **I WANT ANSWERS! WHERE IS THE JOKER?! WHERE IS HE?!** " She gave a stinging slap across the panther's face. " **TELL ME WHERE HE IS! TELL ME WHERE THE JOKER IS NOW!** " Another slap, " **COME ON, ANSWER ME! WHERE'S THE JOKER?!** "

No answer.

" **TELL ME! WHERE IS THE JOKER?!** " Alicia's rant escalated. " **YOU DON'T THINK I'LL KILL YOU?!** " She pressed the revolver again, " **YOU DON'T THINK I'LL WILL?! HUH?! YOU DON'T THINK I WILL?!** "

Again, no answer. The panther kept on whimpering. Alicia calmed down, her breaths coming in furious pants, the fire inside slowly subsiding. The way she threatened the hapless panther, it would overstep her moral authority, break her most sacred rule. It would make her no different than the criminals she locked up. Realizing her mistake, she shook her head.

"No… No, I won't. That's why I'm not gonna leave it up to me."

Alicia pulled out her silver two-headed coin from her pocket. The fake soldier clearly didn't realize that both sides were the same.

"Heads, you're gonna keep your head. Tails… not so lucky. So, you're gonna tell me about the Joker?"

The panther's fear intensified, having understood the sadistic rules of Alicia's little game. Strangely, though, his muzzle continued flashing a grin, as if he was not calling her bluff. The rabbit flipped her coin into the air, until she caught it and placed it in the back palm of her paw. The coin fell to heads, and the panther gave a forced chuckle.

"Let's go again."

" **I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!** " the panther finally screamed his confession. "God, don't…!"

Unfortunately, Alicia wasn't buying it. She stared at her captive with disdain. "You're not playing the odds, friend." She brandished her coin, "Let's go again."

By the time the coin was flipped again, a paw belonging to another rabbit nabbed it instead.

"What did I tell you, Ali? You need to cool down."

Alicia turned around, and saw who caught the coin.

" **JUDY!** " Overwhelmed with surprise and relief, she wrapped her friend in a tight embrace. "I thought you wouldn't make it."

Judy returned the hug, "I'm so glad to hear that you survived the massacre this afternoon, along with the mayor." When the two released, she eyed the scared panther, and crossed her hips sternly, "And seriously, are you leaving something up to chance again, even the life of a helpless animal?" She shook her head in disappointment, "Seriously, you gotta stay positive and think before you act, or you're taking anger management class again."

"Me? Him?!" Alicia widened her eyes. She began to laugh nervously, "No, not exactly. I'm trying to get answers outta this hired mook for the clown, that's all."

Judy stated, "I've done some work on the panther you just caught. His name's Thomas Schiff, a paranoid schizophrenic and former patient at Cliffside Asylum. It's the kind of mind the Joker attracts. What do you expect to learn from him?"

Alicia questioned, "I caught the wrong guy? The Joker's distracting us to cover his tracks?"

Judy rubbed her chin, "Yeah. The clown's as crafty as he looked."

"Judy, you don't understand," Alicia grew frantic. "The Joker killed Cluck! He's gonna kill our families next!"

Judy was worried her best friend could react this way. Nonetheless, she was adamant, "Actually, I do understand. I know the risk we're putting ourselves in. But we can't give up. Not without a fight." She added with a confident smile, "I think it's time we give the Joker what he wants."

"You mean, quit the force and turn yourself in?" Alicia was shocked at what her friend was intending to do. A nod answered her. "No… You can't…" Her voice grew with protest, "You can't do that! You can't give in! You're a symbol of hope! You're a hero! The city needs you! _We all_ need you!"

"I'm not the only hero, Ali," Judy replied coolly. " _You_ are, too. Your stand against organized crime has been the legitimate light for Zootopia in a while. If anyone else saw this, it's all over." She banged a fist against her open palm for emphasis, "All the criminals we've pulled out the streets will be released, and James Cluck would've died for nothing." She added with a deep sigh, "And we'll all be sad forever."

"Judy, they'll kill us both anyways!" Alicia argued. "You don't expect the Joker to keep his word?"

"No, I don't."

Alicia froze when she heard this. Those words could only mean that Judy had some sort of a plan.

"Tomorrow, we're gonna make sure the Joker doesn't get away this time. Here's what we're gonna do…" The two rabbits cuddled together, and eagerly began discussing their next move.

* * *

Having returned to her penthouse at the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, Alicia was talking on her iPhone. "Are you sure about this, Jude? I don't know if my parents can handle it. It'll break their hearts."

" _Trust me, Ali. Your parents are strong to let this down. They'll understand,_ " Judy's voice rang out. " _You'll have to trust me. It's guaranteed to work, I know it! It's foolproof! The clown will never see it coming!_ "

Alicia laughed at this cheery remark, "You're right, he won't. You trust me, and I trust you. That's what friends do. But we only have one shot at this. One slip up, and we're goners."

" _I'm always ready for anything,_ " Judy assured. " _I'm gonna crash for the night. Take care of yourself, okay? G'night, BFF!_ "

"Same to you. G'night, BFF," Alicia disconnected the call, and a sigh of exasperation escaped her lips. "Only a crazy animal could pull off a strategy like that." She nonetheless brimmed with confidence, "But I gotta have faith in Jude. If there's anyone who's gotten out of jams like that, it's her."

Another ringtone buzzed, and the district attorney answered it, "Hello? Yeah, Jas. It's me. Tell the ZPD that I'm going to hold a press conference tomorrow morning…" She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "…for Officer Hopps to turn herself in."


	16. The Plan Commences

_The nightmare returned._

 _"_ _Judy, help!" the voices cried out, far away._

 _The laughter._

 _Judy was still running, running as far and as fast as she could. She found herself in an intersection. A car went past, and she spotted Bonnie and Stu! In the back seat! The elderly couple pressed their faces against the window and yelled, "Judy!" Driving was the Joker, who flashed a sadistic grin as he went past._

 _Taking out one of the gadgets she received from Lucius, Judy fired four darts, not hard enough to total the escape vehicle, but enough to pop the tires. She climbed up over the roof and stood on the hood glaring in, baring her teeth. But Bonnie, Stu, and the Joker were gone. Two police officers stared back, visibly shaken and trembling, their mouths gaping from shock and fear._

 _"_ _Carrots!" Now Nick stood on the sidewalk, while the Joker came careening at him in a school bus. He was cackling again. Judy took action, taking out some sort of bazooka, and fired the missile, the projectile impacting directly on the bus's front right tire. The bus twisted onto its side away from the sidewalk, skidding along the road and hitting a couple other vehicles._

 _Judy leapt onto the side of the bus, ready to catch the Joker. Instead, she spotted an antelope bus driver through the door, moaning and clutching her bleeding head. Glancing down the back, she saw at least a dozen animals who had tumbled out of their seats, piled up against each other. They looked up and saw Officer Hopps, staring through the windows, and they screamed in terror._

 _Looking back up, Nick was also gone, replaced with Mayor Garcia, cautiously stumbling away, desperately trying each door he passed by to find an unlocked one to escape into._

 _"_ _Judy, where are you?!" Laughing. Echoing from everywhere._

 _More and more animals showed up, and as Judy kept dashing back and forth, chasing each fake clown and fake close one, the citizenry of Zootopia became paranoid and panicked. They fled if Judy so much as looked at them._

 _And still, the maniacal laughter._

* * *

Dawn had approached the city, and it took some time for Judy to recuperate from her second nightmare. At her room in the Grand Pangolin Arms, Judy admired herself in the mirror and shined the badge in the front of her uniform, for perhaps the final time, as the plan she and Alicia discussed could lead to a life-and-death situation. Nick sat at her bed, drinking the last batch of shake in his drink, before throwing it to the trashcan.

"I don't get it. I have done something wrong?" Judy turned to ask her fox partner, her heart heaving with worry. "Is this what I deserve? Every day, more and more animals die. What would they have me do?"

Nick didn't respond out loud. He stood up and came over by the rabbit.

"Because when I joined the force, I thought I could help the city, not tear it apart. I thought I could make the world a better place, not make it worse. What will it take for me to fix all this?"

Nick placed a hand on Judy's shoulder and smirked, "You're a tough egg, Carrots. You shouldn't let this Joker thing get'cha down. You had a slip-up, sometimes bad things just happen. I say it's time you move on."

Judy stared up at the fox, "Move on to what?"

Nick leaned against the wall next to the mirror, "Well, you just have to deal with the pain. Y'know, endure it. Whether they love you or hate you, it doesn't matter. The Carrots I know would never back down from a challenge. No matter how tough it gets…" He grew confident in his answer, "…you can't let anything stand in your way. You can make the choice no one else can make: the right choice."

Judy chuckled lightly, "Yeah, you're right. If that's what it takes to win back everyone's trust."

Nick said assumingly, "Everybody's still alive and kicking, and people still care about you." He motioned a paw to himself, "So do I. A lot."

"Oh, Nick…" Touched by the warmth of encouragement from her fox friend, Judy took his cheeks with a ginger touch of her paws and caressed them, along with his muzzle. It urged Nick to reach out with his paws and caress the rabbit's cheeks as well, and they both reveled. Afterwards, their cheeks blushing red, the two wrapped their arms into each other's bodies, breathing in relief, in joy… and in pleasure. As they closed their eyes, their paws acted on their own accord and stroked the soft strands of each other's fur. Such a thing would cause either one of them to tingle all over. This was undeniable proof that through all the pain, the adversity, and whatever the world throws at them, Judy and Nick couldn't forget that their friendship forged over the past year saw them through.

At the end of this touching moment, the two released from the hug and headed over for the door, the rabbit fastening her key in her pocket. As they left the apartment, the two began striking up a friendly conversation.

"I suppose they'll have to ask me to quit the force, too, for being your partner-in-crime."

"Accomplice? Ha-ha-ha! I'm gonna tell them the whole thing was your idea!"

* * *

That same morning, a crowd gathered outside City Hall. ZPD police cars and news vans lined the street. In the back of the throng of news reporters and commentators stood Judy, Nick, and a few associates from Precinct One. They were anxious for what was to come next. A podium was set up, and District Attorney Alicia Garnet walked up and addressed the attendees.

"Ladies and gentlemammals, thank you for coming," she began. "I've called this press conference for two reasons. Firstly, it's to assure the citizens of Zootopia that our police department is doing everything in its power to stop the Joker killings." A collective murmur ran through the crowd. Alicia waited for everyone to calm down, before continuing, "And second, because Officer Judy Hopps, our hero cop, the name and face of the ZPD…" She paused for a moment, "…has decided to turn herself in. But first, let's consider the situation in front of us. Should we give in to this terrorist's demands? Do you really think he's gonna—"

"You'd rather defend a vigilante cop than the lives of citizens?" a female cat journalist sharply voiced her opinion. The interruption prompted an angry outburst of agreement. Judy looked around nervously, and Nick put his arm around her in comfort.

"Judy Hopps is a vigilante, yes," Alicia affirmed. "But she's undoubtedly the hero of Zootopia, the public face of the police force. She's done more for this community than most cops will ever do. We were perfectly happy to let her clean up crime for us until now, until we got scared."

"'Clean up?' Things are worse than ever!" interrupted a male porcupine reporter. Another outbreak of yelling, and the mob became increasingly annoyed at the singular disturbance. Several officers began motioning everyone to calm down. Nick pulled Judy closer, assuring her that everything was going to be alright. At the same time, the rabbit felt a twinge of responsibility for the way things turned out in Zootopia. Nonetheless, she stood adamant. This was her only chance to settle the issue.

"Yes, they are," Alicia made herself heard again. "But the night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you…" She glanced down into Judy's eyes amongst the crowd, a hint of determination crossing both of their faces. Alicia looked back up to the crowd, "…the dawn is coming."

"No more dead cops!" a rhino beat cop exclaimed. The rabble grew more incensed as each outburst only served to flare the collective temper. One by one, the attendees gave their own bitter opinions.

"She should've stayed a meter maid! Like, a long time ago!"

"If she hadn't been a real cop, none of this would've happened!"

"You saw what happened yesterday at City Center!"

"All those animals killed in the parade!"

"She didn't do anything to save them!"

"Most of our loved ones are there!"

"My mom and dad… They're all gone…"

"Hopps is stubborn and foolish!"

"Parking Duty is where she belongs!"

"Hopps should've stayed a meter maid!"

"We lost Chief Bogo because of her!"

"Leave everything to the _real_ cops!"

"We can do better than her!"

"She's a loose cannon, a rebel, a detention bunny!"

"Where's Hopps?! She should turn herself in!"

Judy and Alicia stared at each other again. Phase one of their plan was drawing to a close. This was it…

"So be it," Alicia calmly spoke, her words shushing the crowd. "Take Officer Hopps into custody."

Everyone glanced around, surprised yet expecting. One last look at Judy, who nodded firmly. Alicia took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to speak:

"I am Judy Hopps."

To answer the crowd's question, she took out from her glittering dress a ZPD badge, an exact replica of Judy's. Two mammal officers handcuffed the imposter Judy on stage and dragged her away. The real Judy was given the leeway she needed to ensure the plan was not compromised. Even Nick, and her close friends from Precinct One, refused to stop her, as if they were getting along.

Time for Phase Two to begin.

* * *

The late afternoon, Amanda and Jon came into Precinct One Headquarters hurriedly, just in time to see Alicia, their daughter who masked the identity of Officer Hopps, being escorted by Detective Ramirez to a police van. They came up alongside her as she was led away.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I didn't have time to talk about this to you," Alicia said awkwardly.

"Alicia Garnet, what on earth are you doing?!" Jon exclaimed. "We look at the news to see our daughter's face plastered on every channel! Have you lost your mind, thinking that you're Judy Hopps?!"

"Guys, it's alright," Alicia assured. "It's all part of the plan."

"You call turning yourself in a _plan?_ " Amanda cried. "You're coming home with us, right this instant! Tell everyone the truth! Tell everyone you're not Judy!"

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you have to trust me," Alicia smiled.

"That's impossible…" Jon stammered. "I mean…"

"Trust me on this!" Alicia grew adamant. "Like I said, it's part of the plan. I had to assume Judy's identity to keep the police in line. If my cover's blown, the plan fails. As _Judy Hopps,_ I'm being transferred to a central holding. That'll be the Joker's time to strike. When he does, the real Judy will take him down. We'll catch the clown this time. I'm sure of it. And no one, not even Judy, can get arrested tonight, except him. You have to trust me, guys. It'll work. It _will_ work."

"Are you sure?" Jon asked nervously. "This is way too dangerous."

Standing near the transport vans were several officers armed in black protective gear. The acting command of Precinct One gave his orders, "We get this bunny to County; she's their problem. The streets will be cleared along your route. C'mon, let's go! Remember, the convoy stops for no reason!"

"Judy doesn't even know if she can stop the Joker. She's failed so far," Jon implored, walking along with Amanda and their willingly subdued child. Several cops, including Wilson and Ramirez, clapped their paws in supposed respect for the captive DA approaching.

Alicia turned to her parents with a sly smile, "How do you know what she's thinking? I know Judy. She's my friend, and I trust her."

"And what about us?" Amanda quivered. "What about the other kids? You're willing to just leave us? And the people depending on you to protect our city? Do you even love—"

Alicia silenced her parents with a sudden, long embrace. She rested her forehead against theirs and explained, "I love you both very much. And I love Elise, Henry, and Andrew with all my heart. That's why I'm doing this, to save them. To stop the Joker before he gets them. And also to help Judy. If I die tonight, my little brother and sisters still have you. And if Judy dies, her mom and dad…" She added with a sigh, "I can't imagine having that pain, and I won't imagine them having it either."

Alicia turned and kept walking, finally arriving at the armored van. Jon and Amanda still trailed, desperate to stop their daughter even as she climbed in. "Alicia, please!" Jon pleaded. "Tell everyone the truth! You could—"

"Heads, I'll go through with it," Alicia quipped. She flipped her lucky coin into the air, and to Jon's surprise, the trademark present he gave to her as a childhood gift landed in his paw.

"Alicia, please!" Amanda was close to tears. "You can't leave your life up to chance!"

"I'm not," Alicia replied. She blew one last kiss before the doors slammed and locked.

Switching the sides of the coin, a prized possession of his before his daughter, Jon sighed hopelessly, "You make your own luck."

Amongst the crowd of officers, Jason Dawes stared at his girlfriend sealed in the confines of the armored vehicle. He whispered softly, a paw touching his hope-filled heart, "Good luck, Red. It's risky, but I have to believe that your plan will work. I have to believe in you, and in Hopps."

* * *

It was twilight, just fading into nighttime when Alicia was transferred. The convoy made its way down the streets. It consisted of a patrol car in front, a van which carried an elite SWAT team, the armored van Alicia was in, and two more patrol cars in the rear, all accompanied by a police helicopter. Everything seemed clear. Alicia sat beside her armed guard, anxious about the ride. So far, the plan moved smoothly, yet she remained absolutely certain that the Joker would show up.

The van's driver wore goggles and a mask, as protection his partner, a badger, assumed. The badger attempted to to strike up conversation, "Hope you got some good moves, pal. You're gonna need 'em." The driver nodded, but remained silent.

The roads were blocked along the route, allowing a clear path through the heart of Zootopia, City Center. Police barricades stopped and detoured drivers, bringing the city's traffic to a crawl. At once such traffic stop, a truck horn blared, demanding passage. A rhino officer walked up, annoyed at the persistence of the driver, an armadillo with round glasses and a Stetson hat. The driver slowly turned to stare at the lawmammal.

"Hey, wait your turn like everybody else, pal."

The Joker suddenly leaned over from the passenger seat and fired a shotgun through the window. The armadillo didn't even look away.


	17. Vehicles of Destruction

The convoy turned onto Fifth Avenue, and in the fading blue of dusk, it approached an unforeseen obstacle at the end of the road.

"What the hell is that?" the elephant driver of the front patrol car pondered. He could barely see the object, but he could tell it was big, and blocking the route. He grabbed the radio, "Obstruction ahead! Obstruction ahead!" He tried to see it clearly again, "Damn it! All units, divert down onto lower Fifth! I repeat, exit down! Exit down!"

Back in Alicia's van, the passenger turned to the driver again. "Lower Fifth? That's in the underground tunnels! We'll be sitting ducks down there." But there was no choice.

As the convoy drew closer, everyone's eyes grew wide as they caught a good look at the obstruction; a fire truck, completely gutted, burning furiously as a grim threat of the chaos to come. All five vehicles drove past, the flames roaring out at them, and under the main roads, while the helicopter flew over to where they would exit.

Suddenly, a large garbage truck drove up beside the two rear patrol cars. The truck's driver giraffe veered to the right, smashing into the very back car. The car was forced through the street barricade and into the oncoming traffic. The truck accelerated and caught the bumper of the second patrol car. The truck's driver steered back and forth, forcing the police vehicle into a complete 180 turn-around and leaving it out for the count. Pleased at having completed his part of the job, the giraffe accelerated again until he caught the bumper of Alicia's transport van. The rabbit was naturally startled by this onrush, but she knew something was going on outside.

The van's driver whipped the steering wheel back and forth, expertly keeping the van going straight. His partner reeled from the impact. "Sweet Mother of Nature, get us outta here! Let's go!" He grabbed the radio, "Hey, we need back-up! Now! We've got company!"

"Roger!" the SWAT van's lion driver answered affirmatively. He turned to call the team in the back, "We've got trouble, guys. Lock and load!"

At the moment, the convoy passed through an intersection, and a large eighteen-wheeler cut across the road and smashed into the SWAT van. The team members yelled in shock as the van swerved, crashed through the roadside barricades, and fell into the adjoining riverside. The new truck pulled out into the street alongside the convoy, crashing into oncoming vehicles and shoving them out of the way. The side of the trailer advertised a travelling carnival with the motto, " _Laughter is the Best Medicine!_ " A large red "S" was spray-painted in front of the "L."

"What the hell is that?!" The driver's partner gaped at the big rig.

The trailer door slid open, revealing the Joker gripping a handle hanging from the roof, and accompanied by several of his clowns. Raising his automatic pistol, the Joker fired at Alicia's van, the rounds leaving dents in the metal. Alicia leapt away from the wall. The pistol purred as it fired, a cacophony of metal piercings ringing with each bullet. The van's driver was powerless to escape. Any attempt to slow down or veer away from the Joker was impossible thanks to the garbage truck ramming them from behind.

The pistol ran out of ammunition. The Joker threw it onto the street and held out his paw to his clowns, snapping his fingers in anticipation. A thug grabbed a shotgun, pumped it, and handed it to his boss. He fired it, the shot embedding itself in the van's wall. The Joker released the handle and knelt down to aim better. He pumped the shotgun, and fired. Another pump, another shot. A third pump, a third shot.

Alicia turned to her guard, "These things are built for that, right?"

The guard assured her, "He's gonna need something a lot bigger to get through that."

Back in the truck, the Joker tossed away the shotgun and motioned his clowns to bring him something a lot bigger.

"What is that?" The van's passenger looked through the driver's window, gawking at the Joker, who was handed a large RPG. "Is that a bazooka?!"

The RPG launched a rocket at the patrol car still remaining in front of the van. It hit the side squarely, the detonation smashing the fuel lines and igniting the gasoline. The ensuing explosion forced the car's trunk into the air, causing the vehicle to twist around and land on its side. The van, the only vehicle left in the convoy, pushed it out of the way.

"I didn't sign up for this!" the passenger cried.

The Joker watched as the car fell behind, still smoking. Suddenly, the sound of another engine revved down the tunnel. Turning to see what was ahead, the clown saw a familiar tank-like vehicle sprinting down the road at an incredible speed. It dashed right for the van, lowering its bumper for impact.

"It's the Tumbler! Look out!" The van's driver heeded his partner's warning, and at the very last second, accelerated and swerved away from the garbage truck. The Tumbler proceeded to ram the truck squarely in its grill, forcing it to a sudden halt. The giraffe driver's head banged against his wheel from the whiplash, rending him unconscious. From the Tumbler's cockpit, Judy and Nick stared after the van and the truck still in hot pursuit.

"So far, so good," Nick remarked. "The clown finally shows up, and we're free to chase him around!"

"Since we're in the tunnels, it's impossible for the helicopter to provide backup, so it's up to us," Judy stated. "And we have to be extremely careful not to cause any collateral damage. Let's go get 'em!" She hit the accelerating pedal with her flat foot.

The Tumbler drove, aiming for straight in between the two vehicles. The Joker simply turned back around. His scars crawled with an impressed grin, as if he had expected Judy Hopps to join the party. It didn't matter; his job was almost done. Reaching around behind him, he was handed another rocket, and he loaded the tube. The Joker leveled the RPG, and aimed it at the van. Considering the state the vehicle was in, there was no way it could handle a bazooka blast. And then, the rocket fired.

" **BRACE YOURSELF, NICK!** " Judy yelled, pressing a button.

Engaging its afterburner, the Tumbler performed a rampless jump, and hit the projectile midflight.

 **BOOM!**

The explosion rocked the van and sent it into a swerving spin, until it ended up facing the opposite direction. However, the van's wall and Alicia were still in one piece. A little shaken off course, the van made a four-point turnaround to continue down the tunnel. Unfortunately for the Tumbler, it was haphazardly sent flipping violently into the air, Judy and Nick screaming their heads off as they flipped around the driver's seat, until the vehicle crash-landed somewhere outside the freeway.

The Joker and his crew recoiled from the blast, relatively unharmed despite its proximity. However, a stray bit of shrapnel flew into the truck and embedded itself between the driver armadillo's shoulder blades, killing him almost instantly. The truck dragged along the barricades until it screeched into a halt.

The Joker leapt out of the trailer and watched the van speed off. He shook his head and grumbled to himself, "Ali, Ali, Ali Garnet!" Opening the cab's passenger door and climbing in, he saw the dead armadillo slumped over his steering wheel. He reached over and opened the driver's door, "Oh, excuse me, but I wanna drive." The Joker unceremoniously shoved the body out of the cab, before taking his place in the driver's seat.

* * *

Meanwhile, a crowd of onlookers curiously observed the seemingly dormant tank-like vehicle, scarred as a result of a bazooka blast.

" _Scanning all systems… Scanning all systems…_ " a computerized voice stated.

"Darn it!" Judy furiously tapped away at the command keys. "The Tumbler's busted! The wheels are still functioning, alright, but the engine's losing gas fast! At this rate, the car will explode!"

"That leaves us with no car," Nick frowned. "How are we going to stop the clown now? Without something to drive, we'll lose the game."

"Maybe we still can win," Judy said hastily. "Guess we'll have to do this the hard way!"

* * *

The chase continued. In the van, the driver's partner kept yelling, "We gotta get topside. We need air support, now!" Looking in the rearview mirrors, he saw the truck coming up fast.

"La dada dum…" the Joker sung to himself as he swerved to hit an oncoming car. He veered through a turn-around point, crushing another car trying to squeeze past, and positioned himself directly behind the van. The Joker watched the van turn onto 52nd Street, and he followed suit, turning so sharply that the trailer banged against one of the concrete support columns.

"Ooh, I like this job. I like it!" the Joker shouted gleefully. The two vehicles were now in the open, and so far off-route that civilian traffic still lined the street.

* * *

Inside the heavily damaged Tumbler, the computer monitor issued a message. " _Damage Catastrophic – Eject Sequence Initiated._ "

The onlookers then noticed the sudden rumbling of the supposedly motionless tank. The armor plates shifted into different positions, and a pair of turrets popped out of the front left wheel. Judy gripped a pair of ejection handles, with Nick sitting in the back, holding her waist.

" _Goodbye._ "

And just like that, Judy and Nick were immediately ejected, courtesy of their latest mode of transportation: a back-up motorcycle known as the Hopp-Pod, fashionably named after Judy's surname, but without the "S." The Tumbler promptly self-destructed, ensuring that no one can link the rabbit officer's equipment to a certain company.

"Alright, we're outta here!" Judy whooped. "Who would've thought that the Tumbler has a back-up vehicle? It's a good thing I read the instructions."

"Riding a bike means more high speeds," Nick grinned. "Things just got a lot interesting now!"

"Here we go! Hopp-Pod, ready to rock!" Judy cried vigorously. And with that, she and Nick sped right pass the curious bunch of animals.

* * *

" _We're on point. Let's give 'em some of their own medicine!_ " The helicopter radioed to the van, and weaved through the buildings until they were directly above 52nd Street. They faced the tunnel exit and came in low, ready to open fire on the Joker's truck. The spotlight searched the street for the van and its pursuer.

The van's driver looked up, relieved to see the helicopter. His partner was equally grateful. "That's what I'm talkin' about! The cavalry's here!"

* * *

In congested traffic, a middle-aged caribou decided to pass the time by picking his teeth with his own hooves. It wasn't long until his side mirror was abruptly smashed to pieces. The perpetrator turned out to be a rabbit and a fox racing on their motorbike, intent on capturing the malevolent clown.

* * *

The Joker spotted the incoming air support, and grabbed a walkie-talkie from his coat pocket. "Okay, rack 'em up! Rack 'em up, rack 'em up, rack 'em up."

Two clowns, both standing on fire escapes on opposite sides of 52nd Street, started as their radios crackled with their order. Quickly leaping to action, they each grabbed an air cannon and fired a grappling hook to their partner across the way. The hooks caught and the cords retracted until they were taut, leaving two wires strung up ten floors above the streets, in the precise height the helicopter was flying at.

* * *

In a public garage, two tiger cubs in their parents' automobile pretend shot another car nearby with their paws. Much to the pair's surprise, a couple of explosions sent a few cars flying into the air.

"Whoa!"

"Awesome!"

Their excitement was only furthered by the unexpected but brief encounter with Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde.

* * *

The chopper's spotlight caught the van, and began searching for the truck. "Get ready!" the lynx pilot called to the back. He sped up, trying to get close enough to avoid hitting any innocent bystanders. Suddenly, the whole helicopter titled forward, as the landing skids caught the first wire. The second wire pressed against the cockpit window, and the vehicle began leaning to its side. The lynx grabbed the joystick and tried to right the helicopter's path, but each move he made only worsened the situation. The helicopter began to spin.

The van's driver and his partner watched the show from the ground. "That's not good," the partner needlessly remarked. They watched the helicopter twist and twirl a hundred feet in the air, the tail rotor slicing a line of office windows. "Okay, that's NOT GOOD!" The chopper quickly lost altitude until it finally slammed against the ground, rolling and bouncing, as taxis and mini-vans veered to get out of the way. "Look out!" The driver swerved as the helicopter came tumbling, swiping the right side of the van, until it erupted into a fireball. Behind them, the Joker drove past the ruined helicopter, cackling delightfully.

Just then, the loud crashing of a street waste container being shoved aside echoed from down the road. The Hopp-Pod dashed from an alleyway and stood in the middle of the street, Judy and Nick eyeing the truck. "There he is!"

"Now there's a bunny cop," the Joker's focus shifted from the van to the Hopp-Pod.

"We had to pass through a subway station and an underground shop for a detour, but it was worth it," Nick pointed out.

"Less talking, more clown-catching!" Judy revved the Hopp-Pod, past the van and towards the truck.

"Oh, Fluffy wants to play!" the Joker smirked. "C'mon!"

The Hopp-Pod sprinted to the far sidewalk, Judy and Nick turning their heads for just a second to catch a glimpse of the Joker's maliciously grinning face. The rabbit quickly pressed a button, and two hooks protruded from the front. The hooks launched, and the Hopp-Pod veered to the left. The Joker watched confusedly. The motorcycle zoomed around the right side and took the other end. It ran down the street and behind the truck, the wire's slack quickly running out.

"She missed!" the Joker cried urgently to his crew.

Judy and Nick took a look at the truck driving away, and couldn't help a proud smirk. The Joker hardly knew what was about to happen! The wire continued to extend, until it was about to tauten. Just as it did, the heroic duo jerked their heads back. The Joker lurched forward as the truck's front bumper lurched backward. The rear end of the truck, still carrying its momentum, flew upward into the air. The whole vehicle gravitated and flipped.

A second of dead silence, then a crash. The truck fell on its roof.

Nick admired, "Wow, look at it go!"

Judy smiled, "We've got him! Let's wrap up this party!"

* * *

A hundred feet ahead, the van screeched to a halt. The driver grabbed a rifle and opened his door. His partner looked in shock, and he protested, "Hey, you can't park here! We gotta get outta here!" The driver refused to listen, and wordlessly leapt out of the van.

* * *

The Joker crawled his way out of the wreckage of his truck. With a groan, the purple suit-wearing jackal fell out of the cab and onto the street. In his paw, he clutched a M76 submachine gun he salvaged from the crash. The Joker began stumbling his way into a standing position. He accidentally triggered his gun, which fired as he fell. As the daze of being flipped upside down wore off, though, he quickly stood up again.

Judy and Nick drove the Hopp-Pod, their eyes dead set on the clown. This was it!

"C'mon…" the Joker mumbled. "C'mon, c'mon. I want you to do it. I want you to do it. C'mon!" He fired his machine gun, not at the Hopp-Pod, but at a taxi driving by. The driver veered to the right as the bullets peppered his car, and it crashed into a parked semi-truck. The firing stopped.

The Joker continued mumbling, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon. I want you to do it. I want you to do it. C'MON!" Another barrage at a passing coupe, which also crashed. Judy and Nick kept driving straight ahead, their adrenaline increasing.

The Joker kept on urging, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, I want you to do it, I want you to do it, I want you to do it. C'mon, hit me! C'mon, hit me! C'MON, HIT ME!"

" **HERE GOES NOTHING!** " Judy yelled, and she and Nick blurted out a thunderous battle cry.

" **HIT ME!** "

At the very last second, the Hopp-Pod swerved around the side of the Joker and skidded across the street, until it slammed Judy and Nick in front of the truck, knocking them unconscious.

The Joker stood staring at the rabbit and fox lying motionless. "Well, that was unexpected…" he scratched the fur of his forehead. "Oh, well! Might as well roll with it!" Dropping his machine gun, he sauntered over, pulling his switchblade from his pocket and flipping it open. He leapt onto the unconscious Judy and kicked her, laughing and mocking with a gibberish-gobble. "I win! You lose! Ha-ha-ha! You should know better than to mess with Mr. Stitches. Better luck next time, Flatfoot!" The Joker knelt down over Judy, and placed the knife on her throat, "That's three strikes missed, Peter Rabbit. It's my word against _yours._ "

At that moment, the click of a gun was heard, and the Joker felt the barrel of a rifle on the back of his neck. He growled in exasperation, "Could you please just give me a minute—" A rough paw grabbed his shoulder and tossed him onto the street, away from Judy and Nick. The Joker looked up to the van driver, who removed his mask and revealed his true face.

James Cluck's face.

He looked down at the Joker and grinned, "We got you, you son of a bitch."

"What a way to wrap up the party!" In merely three seconds, Judy and Nick got themselves back up their feet again. "Congratulations, party guy. You played it out perfectly. You won the party game, but you didn't blow out the candles. It's the icing on the cake."

The Joker's eyes widened, "Cluck was in on it? And you knew you were gonna hit me?"

"Silly clown, why would we hit you? Breaking an animal's body isn't the style of a good cop," Judy laughed, allowing her fox partner to wrap an arm around her chest. "All that's needed is a distraction. We knew you were focused on letting us hit you, so we fooled you into thinking we're down for the count, and guess who came in?" She gestured to Cluck, who smiled in agreement. "Cluck is a very brilliant cop. He faked his death at the massacre, and if it wasn't for him and Alicia masking my identity, you'd have succeeded. Oh, and it's not _your_ word against _mine…_ it's _mine_ against _yours._ " She added with a sly tone, "It's called strategy, sweetheart. Boom."

The Joker tossed his knife away, admitting defeat. He muttered, "Oh, no. You got me. You really taught me the error of my ways."

Judy smiled proudly, "Serves you right!"

Nick raised his eyebrow, "Wait, was Party Dog here being sarcastic?"

Leaving the clown to the heroic duo, Lieutenant Cluck opened the van door. Alicia grinned at this comeback, "Nice work, Jimmy." She then chuckled, "You do like playing things pretty close to the chest, don't ya?"

"We finally got him, Miss Garnet," Cluck smiled back, and he shook paws with the district attorney before helping her out of the vehicle.

The duo became swarmed as more policemammals showed up, and then the press wanting to interview the district attorney and the hero cop who successfully captured the Joker. The clown himself stared out from the rear seat of the police car at James Cluck, who came back from the dead, Alicia Garnet, the rabbit he failed to kill, and Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, awash with camera flashes and interviews. The Joker kept staring until the car drove off to take him away.

"Miss Garnet! Miss Garnet!" one of the reporters hollered. "How does it feel to be Zootopia's greatest hero?"

Alicia laughed, "No, I'm no hero. Zootopia's finest, they're the heroes. Judy Hopps, my best and cleverest friend, is the hero." She clapped the hero cop's shoulder, who flashed a grin in front of the press. "She and the brightest at ZPD Precinct One made an elaborate strategy to catch the Joker. The first step was to mask my identity with Judy's, and the second, to fake Lieutenant Cluck's death. In the end, it went all according to plan. All the more reason I had to trust them, Judy most of all, to do the right thing." She winked her eye, "Like saving my tail."

And with that, the two bunnies embraced in a heartfelt reunion, relieved that the clown was brought to justice at last. The crowd expressed their positive remarks and opinions at this.

Alicia was then led into a police car to be transported home to Palmtress, with Judy and Detective Ramirez escorting her while motioning the press aside. "All right, people, that's enough! Let her be!"

"Awesome work, Jude," Alicia smiled approvingly at her best friend. "You took down the clown. Man, do I have a story to tell to a pretty upset mom and dad."

"I know what you mean, Ali," Judy giggled. "But the credit is on all of us. _We_ took down the clown together. We all deserve it." She waved her paw, "See you later, BFF!"

"I hear ya, BFF! Bye!" Alicia waved back, and Ramirez shut the car door. One of the biggest heroes in Zootopia was whisked away back home, with Detective Michael Woltz as his valet for tonight. As the vehicle left, unbeknownst to the crowd of animals, Ramirez wore a slight frown.


	18. Rest and Relaxation

A Microtech Troodon, a steak knife, an AKC Concord 078, and a potato peeler.

Officer Higgins moved down the table with the Joker's jacket, removing the knives from each pocket and lining them up. Along with the many blades, he also found a box of matches, a picture of a kangaroo with the mouth scribbled over in red crayon and the eyes framed with black circles, and an oversized digital watch that had the back removed and wires sticking everywhere.

The Joker sat twenty feet away in a cell in the middle of the room, the holding cells of Precinct One Headquarters vibrant over his recent arrest. The jackal sat on a bench, quietly staring at the animals and tapping his fingers together. His gaze wandered over to a second holding cell next to him, where Chin Lau sat in protective custody. The red panda was curled up in the far corner, his eyes never wavering from the Joker. The clown flashed a fiendish smile, and Lau looked away quickly.

"Stay away! All of you!" Lieutenant Cluck yelled at the animals clustered around the Joker's cell as he walked into the station. "I don't want anything for his Mob lawyer to use, understand?!"

Behind him, Judy, Nick, Detectives Wilson and Ramirez, and Mayor Garcia followed. The mayor hedgehog brushed Cluck's arm to get his attention. "Back from the dead, huh?"

Cluck smiled, "Well, when this mangy mutt shot me the other day…" He motioned to the Joker, "…he ended up hitting my phone, so the bullet deflected and just grazed my side. I was hospitalized still, just to be on the safe side. That night…" He gestured to Judy and Nick, "Garnet, Officer Hopps, and Officer Wilde called me with this idea to catch the clown, which involved me faking my own death and masking Garnet's identity with Hopps's. Which means…" He concluded with a sigh, "I'm probably going to have a very upset wife when I get home."

"I see," Garcia nodded at the story. He turned to Judy and Nick, and shook their paws with an appreciative smile. "Well done, you two. Once again, you served our city well."

Judy smiled back, "All in the line of duty, Mr. Mayor."

Nick asked eagerly, "Got any cool prize with that?"

Garcia chuckled, "Absolutely, Mr. Wilde. I'm inviting you and Miss Hopps to City Hall for dinner tonight, since Alicia's already going home. My treat."

Judy beamed, "Sounds great!"

Nick agreed, "We'd love to!"

Garcia turned to Cluck, "So, what do you have on the Joker?"

Cluck admitted, "Nothing, sir. No matches on prints, DNA, dental work. His clothing is custom and has no traceable labels. There's nothing in his pockets but knives and lint. No name." He shook his head, "No other alias. This guy's a phantom."

Garcia suggested, "Go home, Cluck. The clown will keep until then. We'll decide at City Hall what to do with him in a couple of days. Go see your family and get some rest. You're gonna need it."

Cluck asked curiously, "What for?"

Garcia said enthusiastically, "Tomorrow, you'll take the big job!" He projected his voice to the crowd, "That's right, Commissioner Cluck, everyone!"

Cluck's eyes lit up with surprise, "Commissioner? Me?"

Nick wondered, "What does that mean?"

Judy explained, "It means that Cluck's now in charge of overseeing all the Precincts in the city! To put it simply, he runs the whole police force!" She then raised a fist and whooped, "Alright, let's hear it! Let's hear it for Commissioner Cluck!"

Wilson clapped his friend on the shoulder, and the surrounding animals cheered and applauded. Cluck grinned with pride for his new title. Several of his friends offered pawshakes, which he graciously accepted. One animal's clapping grew louder above all the rest, though. Everyone turned to face the Joker, staring right at Cluck with a grim expression and clapping mockingly.

* * *

Sometime in the early morning, Penelope Cluck answered the door and saw James, her husband thought to be dead, standing on the porch. She stood transfixed, doubting if she could trust her eyes.

James was silent for a moment, then stepped forward. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry, Penelope. I couldn't risk our family's—"

A slap across the face silenced him. Penelope's face was wrought with hurt, and she began crying, like she had been for the past day. She threw her feathered arms around her husband, and tears of relief and joy streamed down her face.

* * *

"Hey, Bill. Here are the packages we're requested to deliver to Precinct One Headquarters," the officer rhino gestured to a small mountain of boxes.

"What's inside?" a lion officer wondered.

The rhino officer shrugged, "I dunno, some new gear or something. Alright, the message tells us to stack the packages at Records, the holding cells, and the storage rooms. We'll unwrap them and set them up as soon as we can. First, we'll set _these_ with the clown's stuff…"

* * *

James knelt down beside Antonia's bed, his daughter sleeping peacefully. She could do so safely, now that it was all over. He ran his feathers softly through her cheek, and she quietly woke. Her sparkling eyes looked over at her father.

Antonia whispered, "Did Auntie Judy save you, Daddy?"

James smiled warmly, "Actually, this time… I saved her." He kissed her lightly on the forehead, and left her to return to her sleep, silently closing the door behind him.

* * *

 **THREE DAYS LATER…**

The returning bliss of Zootopia was never this sweet. The once-torn city was recovering from the scars of a crime which escalated into borderline terrorism. Without the chaos the Joker wrought, the citizens were free to once again roam the same idyllic streets and pastoral ecosystems, with the sun gently beaming down. There had been no sightings of clown activity for three days, and the frequency showed no signs of faltering. Because of this, the Zootopia Police Department could now rest easily, and the officers all earned a well-deserved vacation! But considering that the Mob was still active, and Salvatore Pappagello and the Pinguino disappeared into the shadows, that issue remained to be settled. At the very least, crime and violence across the city had stopped. Completely. No one could tell if the ones still operating the criminal underworld were able to make the next shot.

The ZPD split its time between healing the areas ravaged by the Joker, allocating capital to rebuild civilian and industrial centers, and grooming its police commissioner: James Cluck, a lieutenant under Charles Bogo originally, then a heroic fighter during the Joker attacks, and now in charge of overseeing the various Precincts throughout Zootopia. The citizens could take comfort in knowing that with the force under Cluck's guidance, the road to safety and prosperity was as close as ever.

As for Judy and Nick, two among those praised for their role in the Joker's defeat, they were granted a vacation as well, finally given a break from all the hard work. Since the rabbit finished her victory party with her family and close ones at Bunnyburrow the past two days, she was left to spend what's left of it with the fox. And they knew just the place…

* * *

That night, Judy stood in the overcrowded techno club, sipping on her drink. Her feet tapped to the beat of the music, and as she watched the dancers, all she wanted to do was get out there and dance with them. Finally, she spotted Nick emerging from the crowd with a can of soda in his paw. Judy felt her heart skip, but she quickly diverted her gaze and finished the rest of her glass, before the two faced together.

"Have you been in dance class?" Nick asked her over the music.

"Nah, I haven't," Judy shook her head. "But from my time in the carrot farm, I've learned a lot of dance moves from the locals, most of them the workout videos."

"Real cute," Nick rolled his eyes. "Care for a dance, fluff?"

"With you?" Judy wondered, and a nod answered her. She giggled, "Sure, but don't get any ideas." She walked throngs of gyrating animals and flashing laser lights. Nick followed close behind, his eyes glued on her moving hips, a small smile playing on his muzzle.

As Judy started moving her body to the music, she felt Nick's paws on her sides. She bit her lower lip with her buck tooth as they began to move together. She knew his previous reputation a shifty con-artist, and though it wasn't exactly bad, it was with good reason. Nick was probably the only fox in the city who faced discrimination from non-predator animals, and he did what he had to do to make money, make a living, and get by. And once Judy knew of his emotional backstory, she understood how he felt. She knew why some girls weren't attracted to him due to his shadowy lifestyle, but to her, he looked perfect. And he was an articulate friend.

Nick moved in closer to Judy, his mouth close to her cheek. He felt her intake breath as his fingers slipped lower on her hips. Their bodies gyrated in unison, their hips grinding together. Her fur smelt nice, and he spun her around, so they were facing each other.

"You like this song?" he asked with a smirk. Judy listened for a moment; her face flushed as she realized that the song booming on the speakers was _Saltwater_ by Chicane.

"Two days earlier, I watch you do-si-doing with the carrot farming bunny bunch," Nick murmured into her fur, his breath hot against her forehead. Judy felt her insides tightening. "And I know you're watching me minding my business, having a snack with Toot-Toot."

"You must be mistaking me for one in my fanbase," Judy grinned coyly.

"I don't think so," Nick shook his head, licking his lips slowly, and his face coming closer to hers.

 **CAUTION TO ALL READERS: Judy X Nick Alert!**

The moment his lips crashed down on hers, she knew that she was hooked. His mouth worked fast over hers, his tongue whipping along her lower lip. She moaned softly, glad that there was loud music around and everyone else was probably busy dancing or too drunk to notice them. Nick pushed her backwards against the wall, his legs aligned with hers and his hips grinding with hers. As they pulled away for breath, Judy opened her eyes and licked her own lips quickly, savoring the tingling feeling he had left.

"You're not too bad at kissing, either," Nick smirked knowingly, resting his forehead on hers.

"You're not too bad yourself," Judy grinned slightly. As she continued, her breaths came in passionate droves, "You handle it like a pro."

"That wasn't so bad…"

"I know…"

Judy pushed her lips back up against Nick's. They kissed hotly for several moments, before someone tapped Nick on the shoulder. They pulled apart and turned to see a rather flushed and sweaty Benjamin Clawhauser. The cheetah's awkward discovery allowed the two to feel the red blush of embarrassment on their cheeks.

"I, uh… Sorry, guys. I gotta go. See you guys later…" Clawhauser chuckled sheepishly, and he walked away, never to mention this display of affection to his fellow officers. Judy and Nick turned to each other, unable to suppress the urge to laugh. Interspecies relationships were an odd commodity in Zootopia, everyone knew that. But when a different animal and another different animal were willing to share their hidden feelings for each other, it was simply irresistible. The power of love was truly beyond measure, even amongst different species. But what would an offspring look like when a predator and a prey marry? Gross.

"Clawhauser seems to be having a good time, too," Judy choked out, holding her stomach. Nick laughed as well, moving back so that she could move around freely. He sat down on one of the couches, with Judy following and smiling at him.

"You look nice when you smile like that," Nick told her quietly.

"Like what?" Judy asked suspiciously.

"It's just the way you smile. It's the best I've even seen, besides my mom," Nick shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it."

Not wanting to argue, Judy turned his chin and kissed him softly on the muzzle. Nick moved his body slightly, and put his arm around her waist, pulling the rabbit onto his lap. The kiss was slower and sweeter than the other one, their muzzles moving together harmoniously. Judy gently nudged his bottom lip with her tongue, stroking each lip tenderly, tasting the sugar that imbedded itself in his dry lips. Her lips were so soft, like a sweet cake, and her breath made him recall the taste of cinnamon. Perhaps it was the perfume?

The fox pushed into the kiss as well, his paw dipping from her arms to her hip, each paw securing the gentle curve that played about her pelvis. The rabbit's tongue began to push past his lips, feeling the sharp but smooth surface of his canine teeth. Nick opened his mouth, allowing her tongue to push forth, and within their muzzles, they reenacted the passionate embrace held moments before. Judy's tongue lapsed curiously about, discovering the inner curve of his cheek, the rough grooves of the roof of his mouth, and the moist flesh of his tongue on hers. They danced together, pushing against one another in a feverish passion.

Nick's mouth began to assume a personality of its own. He pushed aside Judy's tongue, wishing to explore the insides of her muzzle. Judy breathed out a muffled moan, the sensation shooting sparks down her bone. Small points of Nick's teeth nibbled Judy's mouth, massaging her bottom lip as he savored it in a loving way that mimicked the way a child savors their first candy on Halloween. They dared not to break the kiss for fear of staining the moment, and their breaths pressed against one another's face from their noses. Nick's breath was intoxicating, like the pleasurable scent of freshly cut wood and citrus. Judy's breath was the scent of sweet cinnamon, with the aroma of carrots conjured about it.

Judy nibbled Nick's bottom lip with her buck tooth, eyes remaining closed, heightening her own sense of touch and hearing. She shivered as his paws pressed her frame against his, his grip firm, yet gentle against her hip bone. Her own arms slipped from his shoulders to his arms, her palms feeling the smooth green Hawaiian shirt. Her tongue massaged his back and forth, and the tip of her tongue teased his, only going forth from its home to gently scrape his lips. Nick took the bait, and his tongue entwined in her mouth, and his lips pressed further against hers so it seemed impossible to distinguish whose lips were whose.

Judy opened her eyes, and was surprised to find that most of the patrons had left for the night, and the laser lights kept providing illumination. Nick opened his eyes, unknowing that he had closed them. In a moment, their lips parted with a teasing peck. Nick leaned forward to resume the kiss, but his mouth found only smoked air to taste. Judy giggled as Nick blinked, realizing his mistake.

"Uh, wow. That was something," Nick blinked again, and Judy leaned against him, staring up into his eyes.

"You're amazing, Nick," Judy murmured breathlessly.

"I know," Nick chuckled admittedly. He cupped her left cheek in his paw, feeling its cozy warmth. "Care to spend the rest of the party in my place? I promised I'd take you there, like, a few days ago."

"Hmm…" Judy rubbed her chin, pondering at the offer. She then beamed, "Sounds good. Now is the perfect time to take me." She gave a short kiss, and as they stood up, the two held paws and departed from the club without delay.

* * *

"…and this is where the magic happens."

That was how, an hour later, when Nick introduced Judy to his room in his own apartment, the west side of Savanna Central. The bunny was greeted with the site of a gorgeously furnished residence. The tall ceilings were lit artistically by floor lamps and a decorative chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The carpet under her paws looked soft and plush, she felt compelled to brush her flat feet. Accents of marble and mahogany were artfully placed to help attract the eye to certain features of the apartment. Glass windows concealed the entrance of what looked like a small balcony.

"Incredible! It looks amazing, just like Alicia's!" Judy marveled. "It's like a palace, like anything I haven't seen before. All of this is yours?"

"Since I've made a lot of money before I was a cop, yeah," Nick nodded. "It was rough, but it's air-conditioned and comfy. I was able to pay the rent, buy the food, get me some new toys to play with, and…"

Judy heaved a deep sigh of dazzlement. Like a puppet drawn to the stage, she weaved her way to the windows, touching the glass overlooking the city. Moonlight drifted through the shaft between the curtains, and the wind whispered gently, creating soft tones that hinted its travels. The night shift seemed to retain an iota of the friendly activity it once had, for the lights created a soft laugh that wafted through the air on rare occasions.

"I'd definitely live in a place like this," Judy fantasied. "The sights and sounds, the comfy bed, the decorations, the widescreen TV…"

"Those were the exact same words I said when we arrived at Alicia's," Nick pointed out, slowly approaching the rabbit from behind. The moment he stopped, he gently caressed the hem of Judy's shirt, rubbing it like salt.

"You know…" Judy admitted, responding by lifting her paw up and stroking Nick's fuzzy cheek. "The first time I met you, you've been a great friend. You helped me solve my first case. I never would've been a real cop without you."

"And I never would've been one if you hadn't enlisted me," Nick breathed, tracing kisses from the back of her neck to her shoulders. "You saw through all my cons and shifts. I'm relieved that someone believes in me, trusts me, sees me for who I am. Most of my life, I've been called shifty and untrustworthy, but you were different." His breaths became shallow as he deepened the kisses, "It made me want to understand you, Carrots. Made me want to _feel_ you."

Judy turned around to face him, her paws planting against the window, her lips circling a passionate smile. "Cuddly fox."

Nick smiled back, and he nuzzled the fur that protruded out of her bare neck. "Honey bunny."

"You know you _love_ me."

"Do I know that? Yes. Yes, I do."

Ironically, those were the words in their first case together, to chase a street racer tearing down Savanna Central. For over a year, those feelings of love and affection had begun their journey in those two hearts. The formation of the embryo began when they're a duo in the ZPD, and it grew into a fetus as months marked their time. Adventures and strife marked more times passed, and the strife subsided as the days pursued. And now, each heart had released the feelings that had developed over time. They may be a rabbit and a fox, a prey and a predator, an odd pair perfectly mismatched, but there was no doubt; Judy and Nick were in love.

They clapped each other in an embrace, and their new kiss was more passionate. Each mouth parted to encompass the other, and in haste their tongues collided and glided over one another in a slow waltz, savoring their lips' texture and taste, their teeth sending a pleasurable shock through their bodies. Their paws wandered and smoothed over the silky outline of their clothes as they kept on kissing, and they dipped the soft indentations of their furs.

Nick broke the kiss and looked at Judy, both eyes filled with love and lust. Giggling to themselves, they rushed to the bed and flicked the lights off, the only illumination being the city lights. The two collapsed onto the mattress, the fox crawling on top of the rabbit, his nose tickling the edge of her fur. They looked into each other's eyes thoughtfully, their faces laced with sincere emotion. No words could describe how they felt for each other. All of their worries, fears, and insecurities were instantly washed away.

Their lips reunited, the kiss growing passionate with each movement of their tongues and muzzles. Their arms and legs enveloped, their paws wavering each piece of clothing. Nick's paws slid down her back to the bottom of her short-sleeved teal shirt, sliding underneath and caressing her fur, allowing Judy to moan into the kiss. Judy's paw slipped around Nick's neck, knowing she would not want to break the space between their lips.

Their lips suddenly drifted apart, but their positions never changed. Nick's mouth kissed Judy's jawline, his sharp teeth gently massaging her neck and shoulders, leaving tiny marks across her fur. He moved in concurrent circles, making Judy groan softly with pleasure. The rabbit leaned so her lips grazed the fox's neck between the collars, her soft lips waxing it. Both mouths massaged each other's fur, their teeth and tongues sucking as though they were savoring a lollipop.

Nick's lips returned to Judy's to lock them once more, his left paw caressing the fur under her shirt, his right squeezing the rounded curves of her rear. All the while, Judy's paws valiantly went to the bottom of his Hawaiian shirt, finding the bare skin and running up to his neck, exploring the smooth fur. Once again, their lips parted for breath, and their muzzles steadily motioned to the bare spots of their necks. They would often take turns between lips and faces, depending on how much breath was needed.

A minute passed, and Judy and Nick were ready for the next level. He gently pulled her teal shirt up and over her head, followed by her lavender, letting her long ears slip through before tossing them to the floor. Her paws found the buttons of his shirt and unbuttoned them, one by one, before pulling the shirt off and throwing it away. It wasn't long before they unbuttoned each other's pants, and threw them into the pile of clothing. Judy leaned up and licked the side of the fox's muzzle playfully before they kissed again.

Their paws and feet were all over their bare bodies, stroking and exploring, until it was all they could do not to writhe around beneath them. Flipping each other and getting into different positions from time to time, Judy and Nick elected to smooch each other's parts like a cow feeding with milk, both of them gasping and moaning at each sensation.

Their tongues, their teeth, and their saliva were everywhere, tasting the scented fuzz on their bodies, each taking turns. The moans kept increasing. The kisses kept heaving. And finally, when they couldn't take anymore, they lay still.

A few minutes later, Judy was lulled together with Nick by the warmth of the bed. She made sure as much of their bodies were touching as possible, gave a deep sigh of contentment, and closed her eyes, feelings the exhaustion seep into her veins and overwhelm her.

This was definitely an exceptionally relaxing night.


	19. Good Cop, Bad Cop

"I don't feel so good… There's a rumbly in my tumbly…"

"Just come with us, garbage giraffe. You've caused enough of a scene four days ago."

While eating a bowl of Frooty Loops, Clawhauser witnessed a giraffe, the same garbage truck driver with a role in disrupting Alicia's convoy, being taken into custody by a tiger policemammal and being dragged to the holding cells. The giraffe, his hooves gorging over his stomach, moaned, "Help me… I'm dying here…"

"Ease up, long neck!" the tiger officer frowned. "Have a little sense of dignity! You're going away with the clown big time, ya hear me?"

* * *

While the giraffe's arrest was underway, Judy and Nick had been brought into the chief's office, having a pleasant conversation with Commissioner James Cluck and Detective Leon Wilson, the acting command of Precinct One until a new successor to Bogo was named.

"…and that is how Officer Fangmeyer captured one of the last few of the Joker's thugs," Cluck narrated. "The suspect has been identified as Zeke Rafael, a trash compactor from Sahara Square turned hired killer for the Mob."

Judy rubbed her chin, "Speaking of the Mob, where's Pappagello? Last time I checked, he's still conscious with two wings and a broken talon. Besides, the Mob is the reason why the Joker's targeting us."

Nick shrugged, "Why does it matter? We took down the clown. He's locked up in the holding cells, and crimes are down ever since. That's basically a mission hitting two birds with one stone."

Cluck agreed, "He's right. There's been no Mob activity around the city since then. But when we find needs, we'll get there." He took a sip of his coffee mug and smiled, "Zootopia owes you a debt of gratitude it could never repay. You helped clean our streets from crime, though your methods are questionable. You are to be commended, Hopps."

Judy nodded appreciatively, "Thank you, sir."

Cluck continued, "In the meantime, we'll find a new chief for Precinct One, and the Joker will be taken to court tomorrow morning. Garnet will take charge of the prosecution." He paused for a moment, "Speaking of Garnet, how is she?"

Judy replied, "I received a call early this morning. She's going to spend the rest of the day with her family at Critterland, the Happiest Zoo on Earth."

Cluck confirmed, "Critterland, huh? I took my family to that world-famous amusement park three times before. The passes cost us a lot of money, but it was worth the wait."

Judy chuckled, "Yeah, I wish my mom and dad took me there when I was a kid."

A look of concern crossing his face, Wilson interrupted, "Jim, it's too risky. What if some of the Joker's surviving clowns decided to pose as the _Kimba Lion Club_ , blow up the _Enchanted Safari Castle,_ and kidnap Garnet and her family out in the open?"

Judy smiled confidently, "What do you think cops are for? We'll send police escorts to Critterland, simple as that. They'll be safe under their watch. And Alicia's real tough to let this stop her. She'll be fine, and so is her family."

Wilson crossed his arms with a thoughtful look, "That's not such a bad idea, Jude."

Cluck approved, "You always come up with a brilliant plan, Hopps." He stood up from the desk, "It's decided, then. We'll send Detectives Woltz and Ramirez to pick the Garnets up and drive them to Critterland. They'll stand watch, in case any clown shows up."

Wilson offered, "I'll stay here and keep the clown in check. You and Nick can spend the rest of the day off. Another one for the heroes of Zootopia." Cluck nodded in agreement.

Judy didn't waste the opportunity for another day in her extensive vacation. She acknowledged with a nod, a pulse of excitement coursing through her veins. She turned to Nick and asked with a sly grin, "Say, do you feel like checking out the _Meowana_ movie?"

Nick matched the rabbit's grin with his own, "I think we can make it to the next showing if we get our tails out of Precinct One."

Judy whispered seductively, "Heck, yeah."

And thus, the two zoomed out of the office in a flash, leaving Cluck and Wilson at a loss for words. "Was it something I said?" the lion officer thought out loud.

In the main hall, Clawhauser saw the rabbit and the fox hurrying down the exit. He sighed blissfully, "There goes one perfectly mismatched pair. Loose lips sink ships, if you get my drift."

"Excuse me, Clawhauser?" Officer Snarlov interrupted. "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, nothing," Clawhauser straightened himself. "Just a little something in my mind."

* * *

 **CAUTION TO ALL READERS: Judy X Nick Alert!**

It was obvious that Bucky and Pronk were once again out of the Grand Pangolin Arms for the day, which gave Judy and Nick all the peace and quiet they needed. Entering the room and slamming the door behind them, the two planted their lips into a heated kiss. It was a fine way to start the day-off; words couldn't express how eager they were. Judy and Nick weren't going to complain, not when their bodies responded in kind. The rabbit treaded her fingers through his fur and pulled him closer, to feel the fox taste her lips and neck, to let him breathe in— God, how she wanted this.

In no time at all, Judy wrapped her legs around Nick's torso, prompting him to pick her up and lift her to the bed. They both sat in a position that the rabbit was between the fox's legs. The kiss resumed, their paws working their way under their police uniforms, even sliding underneath the fabric and reaching their furry goal.

Purring in anticipation, Judy's paws scrambled to unbutton his uniform and loosen his tie, and they were tossed away in seconds flat. She trailed her lips down from his neck to his chest as she fumbled with his belt and pants, her tongue tracing wherever her muzzle travelled. This urged from Nick excessive moans, reacting wonderfully at how skilled his partner was. Leaving the pants loose and unbuttoned, Judy sat between Nick's legs again and pulled him into another kiss, the saliva produced with each swift move.

With a last searing kiss, Nick pulled away, his paws expertly sliding away to unbutton Judy's Kevlar vest, followed by her blue long-sleeved shirt. She slipped one arm, then the other off, and the pile increased. Feeling themselves growing hotter, the two topless animals embraced in each other's arms and fell the side of the mattress, their lips crashing once again, while their paws wandered to caress the soft spots of their fur.

To further increase the moment, Judy took out a can of whipped cream she saved in her utility belt. She sprayed it all over her chest and arms, and it wasn't long before she did the same with Nick. They kissed again, spreading the sweet confectionary all over their bodies, and gorging their pants and the soft furniture with white. Nick's mouth quickly left Judy's, traveling down to lick at the confection covering her bosom, nipping the strands of fur with his canine teeth. His tongue rasped over her pebbled flesh, cleaning every last bit of the whipped cream. When it was Judy's turn, she bent down to swallow the cream in Nick's body, her muzzle drawing slowly over each part of his fur.

The more turns they took spraying and swallowing more whipped cream filled them with elevating pleasures, their mouths gasping out the other's name in broken syllables. Each slurp of the fur and mouth was more delicate and smoother than the last, often faster.

Judy and Nick reveled at their second intimate moment. Nothing could ruin it…

Or would it?

* * *

Back at Precinct One, Zeke Rafael was thrown by Officer Fangmeyer into the enclosure where his employer, the Joker, was also being held inside. Officer Wolfard, a wolf cop, remarked bitterly, "Look at these ugly bastards."

"I don't feel so good…" Rafael wheezed, the pain in his stomach rising.

"You're a cop killer!" Wolfard growled. "You're even lucky to feel anything below the neck!"

" **PLEASE!** " Rafael desperately grasped the bars, frightening the reasonably upset personnel.

"Step away from the bars!" demanded Officer Francine, an elephant.

"My insides hurt…"

The Joker watched with satisfaction. Was this another one of his dirty tricks?

* * *

Back in Judy's apartment, the room was intoxicated by moans. In one position of the bed, Nick was behind Judy, rubbing his paws around her chest, while his muzzle licked the left side of her cheek, a small hint of whipped cream being chased away. The can was empty and was thrown to the garbage bin, leaving the two to continue without it. The fox expertly flicked his tongue across the rabbit's face, until it reached her mouth, and the two locked lips and spit.

Judy smiled between the kiss, "For some reason, I'm not scared of foxes anymore."

Nick slurped his saliva, and trailed kisses to her neck, "It's not like a fox can go savage, like, purposely. Most animals go savage in a more _positive_ way."

Judy giggled breathlessly, "You're good enough to me. What you did back there, that was good."

Nick's lips pressed against her cheek, "That was _great._ "

The two turned their heads and kissed, much slower and less heated that the last, their tongues dancing in a slow waltz, and their paws holding each other's heads as they deepened. Intimacy was indeed the best medicine.

Suddenly, the moment was interrupted when Judy's iPhone jingled. An upset Nick complained, "What now?"

"Give me a second," Judy grabbed the phone from the small table, touched the screen, and read a message. Her brows furrowed, thinking it was just a mundane report of small-time criminal events. But when she completely read the message and understood its contents, her eyes widened in horror. "Oh, no…"

* * *

Night had fallen, and Commissioner Cluck made his way into Observation. "Has he said anything more yet?" he asked his co-workers, one of them including Assistant DA Jason Dawes, who wore an expression mixed with worrt. Detective Ramirez answered him with a headshake. Cluck returned to the hallway, and went one more door over to Interrogation. The door buzzed as he opened it, and he slammed it shut. The whole room was dark, except for one ceiling light by the door, and a lamp on the interrogation desk, at which sat the Joker. The weak light shone on the Joker's white face paint, highlighting it against the darkness as if he was a ghost.

"Evening… Commissioner," the clown greeted cheerily.

Cluck sat down at the chair opposite. He began, "Alicia Garnet never made it home from Critterland earlier today."

"Of course not."

"What have you done with her?"

"Me? I didn't take her anywhere," the Joker replied, raising his handcuffed paws. "I was right here, in the holding cell. Who did you leave the bunny lawyer with, hmm? _Your_ people? Assuming, of course, they're still _your_ people and not Pappagello's." He paused to let his words sink in, "The way you asked me, it reminds me of how you all blame me for killing Chief Buffo. Whose fault was that, anyway? Who gave him the acid wine? Could it be the fault of Bogo's right-hand hippo, who failed to save his precious chief from melting down under?"

The commissioner didn't reply to this accusation.

"Does it depress you, Commissioner, to think about just how many of those lives you could've saved? If only you had been a little faster. And now you're all alone, up on top. The whole city is counting on you now, aren't they? Let's hope you stop letting them down, better yet, the cops stop letting them down. Doesn't it make at least _one_ of you feel responsible for Alicia Garnet's current predicament?"

Cluck remained unfazed. He asked, "Where is she?"

The Joker dropped his monologue, "What's the time?"

Cluck questioned, "What difference does it make?"

The Joker quipped, "Well, depending on the time, she could be in one spot or several."

Cluck knew where this was going. Even during interrogation, the clown was going to put up a fight. He reached into his pocket and took out a set of keys. Cluck said, "If we're going to play games…" He reached over and unlocked the Joker's handcuffs, "…I'm gonna get a cup of coffee." He stood up and left the room.

The Joker smirked, "Ah, the good cop, bad cop routine?"

Cluck smirked back, "In a way." The door buzzed, letting the commissioner out.

The Joker sat back in his chair. The two lights went out, leaving the room in total darkness. He heard something pattering across the floor, then jumping onto the table. After a brief second, the lights all came on, flooding the space in a white glow. The Joker found himself staring Judy Hopps directly in the face. The rabbit lifted her paws and slammed the jackal's head on the table's surface, forcing his face to scrunch up in shock.

Holding his forehead, the Joker groaned, "Augh, never start with the head. The victim gets all fuzzy. He can't feel the next—" Judy lifted her foot and slammed it down on the clown's paw, resting on the table. This time, only a mild reaction, nothing more than a small flinch. The Joker looked her in the eyes, "See? What did I tell ya?"

"Now do you understand the game we're playing?" Judy smiled smugly. "You wanted me, here I am."

Back in the observation room, Nick joined Cluck and the rest of the Precinct One crew. They nodded to each other.

The Joker began to examine Judy as if she was a piece of rare and valuable art. He spoke, "It's about time I saw you up close. I wanted to see what you do, and you didn't disappoint, Peter Rabbit."

Judy warned, "You're gonna refrain from call me _Peter Rabbit._ "

The Joker shrugged, "I'm just saying, sweetheart. Like I said, you didn't disappoint. You let 159 animals die, including your chief. And then, you let your best friend Alicia take your place as the hero cop. Even to a guy like me, that's cold." He added with a chuckle, "You're a feisty, clever bunny! No wonder those Mob fools want you gone."

Judy ignored the compliment, "Where's Alicia?"

The Joker continued, "They think getting rid of you will put things back the way they were." He leaned forward to get a bit closer, "But they can't see the truth. There's no going back. You've changed things. Forever."

Judy questioned, "If it doesn't matter anymore, then why are you trying to kill me?"

The Joker giggled wheezingly, and answered, "I don't… I don't wanna kill you! I mean, what would I do without you? Go back to ripping off Mob dealers? Oh, no, no, no. You see, you…" He held his paws close to his heart, "…you _complete_ me."

Judy scoffed, "You're a scumbag who lives to kill for money."

The Joker retorted, "Oh, don't pretend like you're one of them, Winnie the Rabbit. You're not! Even if you'd like to be." He leaned forward again, only an inch from Judy's face, "You see, to them, you're dangerous, an outcast, a rebel, a freak… like me! You wanted to join the force under the belief that you're going to make the world a better place. You still believe in that lie, even now?"

Judy looked away from the clown's gaze, her fur crawling with the uneasiness his words filled her with. Was it true? Did she feel… insecure? "Yes, but I…"

The Joker continued, "Come on, Judy. You know the truth. The world has already turned worse the moment they allowed you to join the ZPD. Or maybe before that. And they didn't need my help to show you how the world works. The people of Zootopia only need you right now, as a gun to make the bad guys go away. But when all is said and done…" He paused and raised his eyebrows knowingly, "…they're scared of you. They don't see you as a real cop, as a hero; they only see you as a tool, a bartering chip. You never were a hero; you were only deluded into thinking that you are. They see the fancy stuff you pull off, and the more you do, the less they'll grow fond of you. They'll cast you out, kick you around…" He played his fingers around the air, "…dispose of you like a piece of trash, rejected by animal after animal, and when you can't take it anymore… you'll be running away."

The tension kept rising. The anxiety increased.

"You see, Judy, all these morals you're keeping, your code, your sense of justice… it was all a mask to hide who you really are. Same goes with every hero in history. It's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only good as the world allows them to be. I'll show ya. When the chips are down, these, uh, these so-called _civilized creatures,_ they'll eat each other. You see, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve."

Irritated at the last nerve, Judy grabbed the Joker's shirt collar in her paws, dragging him out of his chair and over the table. She demanded again, "Where is Alicia?!"

The Joker kept talking, "I don't think they even see you as a bunny, too."

Judy dragged him down until his chest was pinned onto the table, then held him down with a flat foot and squeezed him. Still no effect. From Observation, the crew watched with concern, and Cluck put their worries to rest, "Don't worry. She's in control."

Judy increased the pressure, "I _will_ make the world a better place, and I _will_ stop you. I always do."

The Joker snickered, "You silly bunny. How many rules do you have to break to make yourself a hero when you're not? You break all those rules, thinking you'll see everyone safe from harm. You'll just have to break the rest of the rules to know the truth."

"What are you talking about?"

"The most sensible way to live in this world is without rules. And tonight, you're gonna break those rules."

"I don't get what you're saying, but if that's what it takes…"

"Well, it _is_ getting late, so I might as well tell you how to play my little game. You're gonna have to act quickly if you are to save her… or them."

Judy was slightly shocked. " _Them?_ "

The Joker stated, "You know, despite what you all think of me, I enjoy doing good deeds. For example…" He looked straight into Judy's eyes, "…I've been watching you for a while now, and you know what I've noticed? This country-hick posse from the burrow who seems to worship you like you're a part of their club, so I had my boys take them on a lovely little trip downtown."

"Country-hick? Burrow? But that could only mean—" Judy paused, until a terrible realization dawned on her. "No… No… No! NO! **NOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!** " He was referring to her mother and father! Bonnie and Stu! With an inhumane roar, Judy tossed the Joker to the floor, leapt off the table, and began dragging a chair over to the door.

"Hopps!" Cluck yelled.

"Carrots! Ease up a bit!" Nick shouted. The two ran from Observation into the hallway.

"Look at you go!" the Joker tried to work his way into a sitting position. He watched as Judy wedged the chair under the door handle, just as Nick and Cluck began pounding on the door from the other side. But Judy didn't want to be disturbed. Not now.

"Oh, did I make little Fluffy very mad at me?" the Joker teased, even as Judy pounced on him, again flooring the jackal. Going berserk with uncontrollable rage and accompanied by her screams, the rabbit stroke him multiple times, beating the clown into submission. She was yelling, screaming, shaking him, biting him, jabbing him, breaking him, scratching him, choking him… Just about anything to vent her wrath. All her life, Judy had never felt hatred rise in her before. But as soon as she heard that her family was about to die, that's when she started losing it. Everyone could only stare with wide-eyed horror, and they couldn't do anything about it. For the first time ever, they saw Judy for what she had been reduced to— an out-of-control animal— a savage bunny.

"Hopps, stop it!" Cluck demanded angrily, banging the door repeatedly.

"We need him alive!" Nick followed suit.

"Does Alicia know about you and your extended roots?" the Joker giggled dementedly. Judy grabbed his shirt collar, and in one effortless flick, she tossed the clown against the wall opposite Observation. His body flew through the air and smashed his forehead into the far window, shattering the glass, before falling to the floor. Still no effect on the Joker's attitude.

" **WHERE ARE THEY?!** " Judy hollered at the top of her lungs.

"Killing is making a choice—"

Judy slapped the jackal across the muzzle just to shut him up. " **WHERE ARE THEY?!** "

"Choose between one life or the many," the Joker bargained. "Your friend, the district attorney, or your carrot-farming Mama Bunny and Papa Bunny!"

Another slap, this time strong enough to twist his whole body into a facing-down position, which only sent the clown into his signature mad cackling. Judy's chest fell and rose with rapid, furious breathing. She could hardly believe her eyes; she had always been able to easily intimidate criminals in the past, but this jackal had no fear. There was no begging or whimpering, only the laughing.

The Joker turned himself back around and jeered, "You have NOTHING! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!"

Judy grabbed the Joker's neck and squeezed it tightly, her voice letting out a much more menacing and savage roar than she had ever uttered before.

"But don't worry, I'm gonna tell you where they are! Both of them!" the Joker wheezed. "And that's the point: you have to choose. Alicia's at 250 52nd Street, and your parents are at Avenue X at Cicero."

With that, Judy threw the Joker aside and burst through the door. She ran to the parking lot where the Hopp-Pod was stationed, with Nick, Cluck, and Jason keeping up. The fox frantically asked her, "Carrots, wait! Which one are you going after?"

"My mom and dad!" Judy hastily answered. She raced to the Hopp-Pod and took off down the street, heading for Avenue X without stopping, as the three saw her go.

"Where is she going?! We need to save Alicia!" Jason yelled desperately.

"Jason, Wilde, with me!" Cluck called them over to a squad car. "We're getting Garnet! 250 52nd Street!" Jason and Nick obliged, and the three zoomed out of Precinct One's parking lot, horns blaring on full blast.

A race against time was about to ensue…


	20. A Fruitless Rescue

In an undisclosed location, there were numerous oil barrels surrounding an unconscious Alicia Garnet, her arms and legs tied to a steel chair. Standing on top of one of the barrels was a time bomb rigged to blow in a matter of minutes, fated to drown the rabbit in an ocean of flame. Alicia's vision was blurry, and it was hard to tell her surroundings, until she slowly regained her senses upon hearing a few familiar voices. Five, to be precise.

" _Hello? Can anybody hear us?_ "

" _Somebody! Anybody! Please, help!_ "

" _Mommy! I'm scared!_ "

" _What happened to us? Why are they doing this to us?!_ "

" _Did we do something wrong? We didn't deserve this!_ "

As she came to, Alicia spotted the timer about an inch away, and it was only five minutes left. She also discovered it was connected to a radio, as if she was asked to share her last moments with someone she loved. And she knew what the voices from the radio belonged to.

"Mom? Dad?" Alicia gasped. "Andrew! Henry! Elise!"

* * *

Also held captive in a similar situation, but in another unknown area, the Garnets cried out in relief. Amanda shrieked, "Alicia! Oh, Alicia! Thank god!"

Jon called out, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

" _I'm alright,_ " Alicia's voice responded from a separate radio-time bomb. " _I'm in a warehouse. Whoever did this to me got me wired to these oil drums._ "

"We are too," Elise clarified, her voice trembling as tears fell. "Alicia… We're gonna die… We're all gonna die!"

"Help! Please, help!" Henry bawled out. "Somebody, anybody! Please, help us!"

"I wanna go home!" Andrew sobbed the loudest. "I wanna go home now! I wanna!"

* * *

On the Hopp-Pod, Judy sped down the road. Velocity was not an option; she needed to be able to read the signs. However, Judy still kept a remarkable pace of thirty miles an hour, simply taking detours in case of any vehicle stopped in her way. Animals waiting at intersections jumped at the sudden streak of black and white zooming past them, and watched as it disappeared down the way.

"Mom… Dad… I'm coming..." Judy hoped to herself. "I just hope Nick and the others can reach Alicia in time…"

* * *

Back at Precinct One's interrogation chamber, the Joker sat against the brick wall, his paws once again cuffed, with Detective Wilson acting as the watchdog with his back facing the door. The Joker muttered to himself, "I want my phone call. I want it, I want it. I want my phone call. Now."

Wilson crossed his arms and sported an amused look, "That's nice."

The Joker cleared his throat, "Say, Lion King, I've got a question for you. How many of your friends have I killed?"

Forcing a chuckle, Wilson replied, "I've been in the ZPD for ten years. I can tell the difference between punks who need a little lesson in manners, and the freaks like you who just enjoy it." He paused to let it sink in, "And you've killed six of my friends."

Feigning his interest on the matter, the Joker mouthed the number of cops he slaughtered.

* * *

"Please…" Rafael grumbled, the pain in his stomach rising. "My insides hurt…"

"I don't really care," Officer Wolfard retorted. "Back away."

"The boss said that he'd make the voices go away," Rafael wheezed. "He said that he'd go inside and replace them with bright lights…" He then playfully laughed, "…like Christmas."

"You're outta your mind, pal!" Officer Wolfard scoffed. "Back off!"

At that moment, Rafael succumbed to his internal discomfort, and collapsed on the concrete floor, his long neck banging against the bars. Officer Francine took notice and spoke to a radio, "Get a medic to the holding cell." He motioned Officer Fangmeyer, "Get the door open!" As he entered, the elephant raised his trunk against two koala convicts who thought they could escape. "You guys, back off!"

* * *

Still held hostage in the warehouse presumably located at Avenue X at Cicero, Jon spoke urgently to the radio-time bomb, "Listen, we don't have a lot of time. They told us that only one of us can live, and that they are going to make our friends choose."

* * *

Having learned of their current predicament, Alicia gave an assuring reply to the radio, "Okay. Everything's gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be alright. They're coming for you. Judy's coming for you. I promise."

" _No, you don't understand. Listen to us,_ " Amanda's voice croaked. " _Please, talk to us. Talk us through with what's going on. Can you find something, anything sharp?_ "

"I'm trying," Alicia shook her chair in an attempt to free herself, struggling and grunting.

" _What's going on?_ " Elise's voice wondered. " _Ali?_ "

After several tries, Alicia turned her chair around with much force she could muster. Before she could move again, she fell to the floor, unwittingly knocking down a nearby oil drum.

" _Ali, what's happening?_ " Henry voiced her concern.

The felled barrel began to leak out a river of gasoline, reaching the left side of Alicia's limp body. As the flammable liquid flowed to half of her face, Alicia blew much of it away to no avail.

* * *

Like the Hopp-Dog, a lone police car raced down the streets of Zootopia, in hot pursuit of where Alicia Garnet was supposedly held at. Jason and Nick couldn't sit still in their seats, worried that they're running out of time. Nick urged, "Come on, go faster!"

"Hurry!" Jason cried.

"I'll call for backup!" Cluck grabbed a radio and shouted urgently into it, "All available units, converge in 250 52nd Street! Alicia Garnet is held captive there! I repeat, Alicia Garnet is held captive there!" He sped the car through light after light, dodging traffic, determined not to let this end in tragedy again. Unbeknownst to the three, no available unit was able to comply to Cluck's request, due to their antagonistic relationship with the district attorney who investigated them back at Internal Affairs.

* * *

Inside the interrogation room, the Joker asked Wilson, "Do you wanna know why I use a knife?"

Remaining silent, the lion detective stood calm and still while keeping his glare at the clown, trying his best to ignore his insults.

"Guns are way too quick; you can't savor all the... _little emotions._ In their last moments, people show you who they really are. In a way, I know your friends better than you ever did." The Joker raised his head to stare Wilson in the eye, "Would you like to know which one of them were cowards?"

This was getting on his last nerve. Wilson removed his jacket and gradually walked over to the sadist. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, "I know you're gonna enjoy this."

The Joker cracked his neck as a response.

"I'm gonna have to try to enjoy it even more."

He grabbed the clown…

* * *

A hippo medic, accompanied by two other officers, looked over to examine the reason for Rafael's critical condition. By the time they unraveled the giraffe's shirt, it was a disturbing sight: a mess of wires protruding from the abdomen.

Officer Francine wondered, "What's that?"

The medic answered, "He's got some kind of... contusion."

* * *

Having held Wilson at knifepoint, the Joker headed over to the Precinct One's main department. The lion shouted in shock, having gone from captor to captive in the time span of ten seconds. Several officers and detectives alike drew their guns, their voices of clamor and hostility echoing in the office. Cops elsewhere in the station heard the racket and came running.

"Let him go now! Drop the weapon now! Let him go! Drop the knife!"

Wilson yelled out to his co-workers, "Dammit, it's my fault! Just shoot him!"

The Joker pressed the blade harder against the struggling Wilson, and mockingly pretended to not hear the rest of the cops. "I'm sorry? Can you say that in my good ear?"

Officer Wolfard demanded, "What do you want?!"

There was a brief pause in the once boisterous office. A moment was all the Joker needed. "I just want my phone call."

* * *

In the abandoned warehouse at 250 52nd Street, Alicia, with half of her face now soaked in gasoline, appeared slightly distraught at her helpless attempt to remove her bonds.

" _What's happening?_ " Jon radioed.

" _Just talk to us, for one second!_ " Amanda urged.

Forty-two seconds were counting.

* * *

The current hostage situation, at a standstill, turned the balance towards the other side. "All right..." Officer Wolfard relented, producing a cell phone from his pocket, before tossing it to the Joker's paw. Gasping for breath, Wilson was restrained a bit tighter.

"Oh, shush, shush, shush…" the Joker flipped the phone over, and pressed a button.

* * *

A couple of seconds later, a green light appeared from Rafael's stomach, followed by a beeping sound, startling the officials surrounding the holding cell.

"Is that a…" Officer Francine said curiously. "…phone?"

A couple of seconds after the phone beeped, many other green lights glowed in separate parts of Precinct One Headquarters. The basements. The main entrance. The top floors. They kept glowing like Christmas decorations.

Francine's eyes suddenly snapped wide.

" **OH MY GOD, EVERY—** "

 **KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

Everyone realized too late that Rafael's contusion was the result of a bomb embedded inside his body, and it was a signal transmitting the other bombs set across the station. Fifteen bombs detonated, tearing down half of the infrastructure. The fire slashed into the flesh of every officer drawn to the vicinity. A few survived but were knocked unconscious, such as Clawhauser, who hid under his desk to shield himself from the blasts. The explosions died away fairly quickly, and Precinct One Headquarters was smothered in fire and rubble. The Joker, who poked his head out from behind his shelter, saw Chin Lau in his cell, who was cowering on the floor, his eyes dilating wide with terror.

* * *

"Mount the curb!"

The warehouse at 250 52nd Street was just in reach.

"Stop, stop! We can make it!" Nick frantically motioned with his paws for Cluck to hit the brakes, and once the car was slow enough to jump out of, he, the commissioner, and Jason threw open the doors and leapt from their seats, running for the warehouse.

* * *

Roughly around the same time, the Hopp-Pod made it to the warehouse at Avenue X. Just in time! Her breaths coming rapidly, Judy bounded to the door. The doors had been chained shut, so she simply broke them open with a rock.

* * *

" _Alicia, just in case, your mother, Elise, Andrew, Henry, and I want to tell you something, okay?_ " By the tone in Jon's voice, the Garnets were having the terrible notion that a misfortune would befall either them, her, or possibly both.

"Don't think like that, Dad!" Alicia cried frantically. "They're coming for you!"

" _I know they are, but we don't want them to,_ " Amanda confessed, her voice coming in sobs. " _We can't live without you. We don't know what to do without you._ "

Elise sniffed, " _Don't worry about us, Ali. We'll be fine._ "

Henry cried, " _Stay strong, Ali. Stay strong._ "

Andrew's sobs intensified, " _Ali… Sis…_ "

" _You have been a wonderful part of our family. Our glittering jewel,_ " Jon shared his testament. " _We've had an incredible life with you._ "

" _We love you, Alicia Garnet. Now and forever,_ " Amanda added. " _And we always will. Until the end of time._ "

Just then, Judy entered the wide area of gas drums and cried desperately, "Mom! Dad! Where are you?!"

" **JUDY?!** "

But it was only one voice. And it belonged to someone else.

" **NOOOOOOOO! NOOOO! NO! NO! NO!** " Alicia shrieked, lying sideways on the gas. " **NOT ME! WHY ARE YOU COMING FOR ME?! NOOOOOOOO! MOM! DAD! ANDREW! ELISE! HENRY! MOM! DAD! ANDREW! ELISE! HENRY!** "

Processing the frantic pleas bit by bit, Judy knew those were the names of Alicia's family members. The Joker, what he said about a family for Bunnyburrow… She could hardly believe it. She had let her passion, her anger drive her to conclusions! The clown was referring to Alicia's family, not Judy's! The rabbit officer sighed deeply, relieved that her parents were spared, and it was good that she saved Alicia. But that meant…

" **MOM! DAD! ANDREW! ELISE! HENRY!** "

Judy's body shuddered from the hardest choice she had to make. She was forced to save one life at the cost of others. It broke her heart to see her best friend in such grief. Either way, she had no choice. Tears streamed down her face as Judy untied Alicia from the chair and dragged her away, despite the futile struggles and repeated screams.

* * *

The five Garnets paused and overheard the commotion from the radio. They knew Judy had found Alicia.

"Mom, I'm scared," Andrew quivered. "Where's Alicia?"

"She'll come soon, sweetie," Amanda choked at her sobs. "We'll be together. We'll all be together. I pro—"

A white flash silenced her.

* * *

As Nick, Cluck, and Jason approached the warehouse at 250 52nd Street, a massive fireball erupted and vaporized the entire structure into dirt, forcing them to shield their faces away with their arms. They felt the earth shake under their feet from the blast. The flame roared angrily, and the choking smoke billowed out and rose into the air. Cluck tried to reach the smoldered architecture, but Nick restrained him. "No, Commissioner!"

Jason looked with horror at the obscuring smoke and fire, and was led to believe that his girlfriend was consumed.

* * *

Judy and Alicia were outside the other warehouse, almost in safe distance of the upcoming explosion.

" **MOM! DAD! NO—** "

The building erupted into an inferno, to which both rabbits were knocked near the pavement by the resulting shockwave. Judy was relatively unharmed, but Alicia wasn't as fortunate. The flames made contact with the gasoline splashing the left side of Alicia's face, igniting a spark that charred her fur, down to the glitter covering her red dress. She didn't hear herself scream her mother's, her father's, and her siblings' names. She didn't feel the heat that burned the left side of her once beautiful figure. She didn't realize that it was already too late.

* * *

The Joker reached the key ring from one of the deceased cops, and came slowly sauntering over to Lau's cell, jangling the keys in his paws. The red panda stared wide-eyed, his breath coming quickly and shallowly, as the Joker began fiddling with the lock. "Hello there, Shifu," he greeted maliciously. "Remember me?"

Lau desperately shook his head.

"Well, I think Mr. Pappy Golly would like to have a word with you…"

The cell door opened.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the firemammals were busy fighting the fires in two abandoned warehouses, ambulances ready to take any survivors to a nearby hospital. Commissioner Cluck looked up at the ruins, and bowed his head. His breathing came shakily, the pain of probably having lost more lives biting down into his mind.

"Commissioner!" a hippo officer came up to him from behind. "Back at Precinct One, the Joker's gone."

Cluck turned and exclaimed, "With Lau?" A nod answered him. "Damn it…" he cursed himself as he realized what the situation led to. "He planned it all along… The Joker planned to get caught! He wanted me to lock him up at Precinct One!"

Just then, everyone was interrupted by a loud explosion, and they turned their attention southeast to rays of yellow that shot up into the sky and ignited into sparkling showers.

"Wow, look at that!" the hippo officer breathed. "A fireworks show!"

"That's no fireworks show," Cluck gasped, his eyes widening in horror. "That's…!"

It was the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant, the former residence of Alicia Garnet, which blossomed into a ball of fire seen by hundreds in the distance. The fireworks exploded, until they died down along with hundreds of animals living in the hotel, and at last, the building collapsed on itself.

The spectators remained silent. Three fires rose. Three smokes emitted.

* * *

The Joker raced the police car he stole down the road. Behind him were at least seven patrol cars in full pursuit. Chin Lau sat in the back seat, handcuffed and bound; his yells for help were music to the clown's ears. Rolling down the window, the Joker stuck his head out and let out his tongue, savoring the sweet taste of freedom. He shook his head madly, relishing the crisp cool air, perfect for a midnight car chase.

The sirens echoed between the city's buildings, and everyone knew that Officer Hopps had failed.


	21. The Greatest Failure

Alicia Garnet, her face and dress scarred by burn marks, had been evacuated to an ambulance in Avenue X, with the tragically distraught Judy Hopps in tow. Looking down at her best friend, Judy couldn't keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks. She sunk to her knees and embraced the unconscious Alicia, her body trembling from failure and regret as she began to weep. It was several minutes before she managed to choke out words. "I'm sorry…" Judy's tears fell on the charred remains of Alicia's dress, and she curled up, "I'm so sorry… I promised… I would keep your family safe… I broke that promise. I tried my best, but I failed… I'm so sorry… I'm so, so sorry…"

The sobs kept heaving, even louder than before. The medical personnel nearby shared their heartfelt condolences for the rabbit officer's loss.

The next hour, Alicia was placed in a hospital bed, her mouth covered by an oxygen mask, her scarred half blanketed by bandages in its attempt to lessen the pain. Judy refused to leave her side. As Cluck came inside, he looked the rabbit in the eye, and turned away with a saddened expression. Before he left, he gave Judy the only thing discovered from the wreckage at 250 52nd Street— a silver coin. Without a word, she placed Alicia's lucky coin on a table, the tears unceasing.

"I'm sorry, Ali…"

This was her final heartfelt apology, before she left the hospital.

* * *

 _The nightmare returned. Judy was still chasing._

 _"_ _Judy, help!"_

 _The voices kept screaming. The Joker's laughter roared into the air. Judy left a trail of wreckage behind her, as she chased down one fake Nick, one fake Bonnie, one fake Stu, and one fake Joker after another. Suddenly, she lost sight of them._

 _"_ _Judy, over here!" echoed from everywhere._

 _"_ _Yes, Judy, over here!" the Joker teased._

 _Then he laughed._

 _And Nick laughed._

 _Bonnie laughed._

 _Stu laughed._

 _More voices laughed…_

 _…_ _and mocked._

 _Judy circled around, the voices jumbling together in her mind. He squeezed her eyes shut and held her head in pain as the cacophony roared, more voices entering the fray. The ground teetered under her feet, and the world seemed to swirl around her. The voices thundered…_

 _"_ _They don't see you as a real cop…"_

 _"_ _Please… Please don't hurt me…"_

 _"_ _They only see you as a tool…"_

 _"_ _She didn't do anything to save them!"_

 _"_ _You never were a hero; you were only deluded into thinking that you are."_

 _"_ _We lost Chief Bogo because of her!"_

 _"_ _You complete me."_

 _"_ _You brought this madness on us! You did! You brought this on all of us!"_

 _"_ _They're scared of you…"_

 _"_ _Hopps should've stayed a meter maid!"_

 _"_ _You're dangerous, an outcast, a freak, like me!"_

 _Judy couldn't take it anymore! Screaming hysterically, she took a gun from her belt, and fired! The bullets raced down the street, flinging a mile away toward their intended targets._

 _Then it was quiet._

 _Judy was shocked, both from her own action and from the lack of her tormenter. She slowly went down the street, not a soul in sight. As she stepped past each empty vehicle, she felt a twinge of guilt. Even more so when she discovered four bodies, the sight almost making her puke from shock._

 _One was the Joker, lying on his back and his eyes frozen upwards, with his muzzle twisted into a final mocking grin. The other three were Nick, Bonnie, and Stu, who had still been in the clown's clutches, and in the line of fire. The elderly rabbit couple's long ears were tossed about, and their mouths hung just slightly open. All four lay limp, their chests filled with bullet holes which bled._

 _Judy's heart tore itself to pieces, and her eyes bawled out. She nudged Nick, Bonnie, and Stu, crying their names over and over, kissed their mouths for breath, shook their bodies, everything in her power to try to get them to wake up._

 _Sadly, they were unable to move. The bullets shot right through the heart. They were beyond saving. Looking at the grotesque scene around her, Judy realized that she killed her own parents, killed the fox who became her partner, who became her friend, who became her lover._

 _Suddenly, a mob of animals came slowly up to her. They did not cheer or applaud, instead they hate and scorn. They held signs and pitchforks, and words of anger squirmed their way to the rabbit. The ZPD officers came forward with shotguns and rifles and pistols, all bared and aimed straight at Judy._

 _"_ _Judy Hopps, freeze! Put your paws in the air and get on the ground!"_

 _"_ _Don't resist, or we will shoot!"_

 _"_ _Sell out, bunny cop!"_

 _"_ _We hate you! We don't need you!"_

 _"_ _Get out of town! Get out of our lives!"_

 _"_ _Murderer! Liar!"_

 _"_ _You killed them! You're not a hero!"_

 _"_ _You're a fraud! We hate you!"_

 _Judy backed away, and they came forward. She couldn't understand; she hadn't asked for this! She didn't mean for this to happen! It wasn't her fault! Yet the angry mob pressed on, eager to apprehend the former hero cop. The armed animals aimed, and she feared for her life._

 _The terror blended in her sorrow, and Judy ran from the crowd._

 _"_ _All these morals you're keeping, your code, your sense of justice… It was all a mask to hide who you really are."_

 _It had become increasingly clear to her what the pain gripping her heart was. Her moral authority, her sense of justice, her boundless optimism, it was all just a mask to comfort herself… because she was afraid. Afraid of being rejected, hated, and cast aside._

 _"_ _And when you can't take it anymore, you'll be running away…"_

 _The Joker was right: Judy was running away. It was the only thing that made her weak, rendered her vulnerable, shattered what remained of her former heroic self. It was the opposite of courage._

 _It was fear._

 _Judy stopped suddenly, and stared wide-eyed at a rhino cop who aimed his gun at her forehead. The trigger was pulled. And she screamed…_

* * *

Judy's eyes snapped open. Her breathing came in heaving gasps. She was shaking, her mind still haunted by the imagery. Her paws felt the blanket, and her eyes jumped around the apartment, to assure her that the nightmare was over.

"Judy?" Bonnie's voice made her jump. She and Stu had come into the Grand Pangolin Arms, overhearing her dilemma and deciding to visit. Their faces were laced with concern as they watched over their daughter her side of the bed.

"Mom? Dad?" Judy wondered. "What are you…?"

Stu waved weakly, "Good morning, Jude the Dude. How are you feeling?"

Judy couldn't know how to express herself, "Well…"

Stu explained, "Mom and I wanted to come and see you. We came as soon as we heard what happened last night. So here we are."

Judy felt a rush in her heart. She knew that everyone heard of her failure to save Alicia's family and the Palmtrees Hotel & Restaurant. "You have?"

Bonnie offered, "We brought you a little something from home. Hope this could cheer you up." She showed off a basket of fried carrots in one paw, and a bright pink bunny balloon in the other. "An early breakfast."

Instead of smiling at the package, Judy's face fell in depression, as do her ears. She changed the topic, "You saw the news?"

Bonnie sighed sadly, "Unfortunately, yes. Everyone saw it. Alicia's family died in the explosion, and her hotel was blown up."

Stu added, "As soon as we came in, we saw you crying and kicking in your sleep. Bad dream?"

Judy admitted, "Yeah, it was... it was awful."

Stu asked, "Wanna talk to us about it?"

Judy sucked in her breath. She didn't feel like discussing it to her parents right now, but they deserved to know. She confessed, "I thought you guys were trapped in that warehouse. Instead, it was Alicia's parents. I saved her, but I didn't save her family. I just feel bad about it." She fell silent, and then, "It's my fault, isn't it? I hoped when I joined the force, I could make the world a better place. I was supposed to inspire good and justice, not madness and death." She put her head down, "Did I make things worse? Did I bring this on Alicia?"

Bonnie and Stu tried to think of the best way to answer her. They, too, were torn apart by the loss of their family's friends. However, they didn't want their daughter to feel too beat up about it. Stu gave his answer, "Why, Jude, of course you've inspired good! You've inspired others to help each other. You've inspired all of us to try and do more. But the big difference is you munching your buck tooth in the faces of Zootopia's criminals."

Judy croaked, trying to prevent her tears, "But Alicia, Dad. She's a friend of the family. Her family, too. It's my fault that the Joker climbed to where he is now."

Stu chuckled, "How is it your fault? You've made so many great things happen for us. You honestly didn't think you could have the kind of power to make a splash in the world? Things can get a lot worse before they get a lot better."

Judy shouted, "Dad, I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for _any_ of this!" She banged her fists against the blanket in frustration, "I did the best I could, and it got me nowhere! It's like every time I do something, things get worse! People get killed every day! No matter what I do, it's always to prove that they lose respect for me, that they don't care about me anymore!" She gestured her arms wildly, and she continued her rant, "It's the same thing they did when I first joined the ZPD! They didn't realize I could…" She paused, "I could…" With a groan, she buried her face in her paws.

Bonnie shook her head, "It doesn't matter how hard you try, hon. What matters is that you're still a hero. Because of you, crime in Zootopia grew less. Because of you, predators and prey became brave enough to overcome their differences. Because of you, crooks are in such a sad shape now." She paused for effect, and clapped a paw on Judy's shoulder, "There's a hero inside us that gives us strength, makes us brave. It lets us believe in what we stand for, what _you_ stand for." She smiled warmly, "Zootopia needs you. _We_ need you."

Judy replied depressingly, "No, you were right all along. You can't turn things back the way they were. They can't be fixed. Everyone needs a true and better hero…" She added with a tone laced with contempt, "…and I let that murdering psycho-dog blow her half to smithereens."

The comfort in Bonnie's expression never changed, "Which is why, for now, you have to make a choice. The right choice. We all make mistakes. And sometimes, out of those mistakes come the most amazing things. I say it's time you move on, leave the past behind, and stand proud. You need to believe in yourself."

Stu agreed, "Your Mom's right. Why do we fall, Jude?" He saw the curious look in Judy's eyes, "So that we can learn to pick ourselves up."

In an instant, the sorrow blended with her parents' words, and the two began to ferment into a spark of comfort. They were cheering her up the way Nick did before the night the Joker was captured. The warmness inside picked up the comfort and caressed it, mixed it, and let it grow into a river.

" _You had a slip-up, sometimes bad things just happen,_ " Nick's words echoed in her mind. " _I say it's time you move on. You just have to deal with the pain. You can make the choice no one else can make: the right choice._ "

Judy turned to her parents with a soft smile, "Thanks for not giving up on me."

"Come here…" Bonnie and Stu opened their arms and swarmed around Judy, the three snuggling each other in their embrace. Judy's worries, fears, and stresses slipped away in her parents' bosom, her soul completely filled with hope and bliss. Still, her guilt for letting down Alicia continued to burn in her mind. Above all, she pondered over how long it would take to actually put an end to the Joker's madness.

Just then, a thought popped into Judy's head. "Mom?"

Bonnie released the hug, and Stu followed. "Yes, love?"

"That bandit, in the forest in Dowanada… Did Gramps catch him?"

Bonnie took a second of silence, "Yes."

"How?"

Bonnie struggled for words, then decided on the simplest and most forward answer.

"He burned the forest down."

* * *

Jason sat waiting outside the intensive care unit at Zootopia General Hospital. The chair beside him was empty. He stared at the ground ahead of him, his paws gripping each other so hard that they shook. His mouth hung slightly open, and he prayed to some deity for his girlfriend's well-being.

The badger nurse came out of the room, and Jason stood up, his eyes silently pleading for good news. The nurse told him of Alicia's medical status. Jason processed every bit of information with worry, sorrow… and finally, anger.

* * *

Alicia's eyes snapped open. Instantly, the true intensity of the pain made itself known: it was like a hot iron sitting on her face, slowly melting away the flesh. She reached up to try and stop the pain, but an involuntary cry escaped her when her fingers made contact with the rough texture of medical bandages.

It was then that the grim memory returned to her – the trip to Critterland, her capture, waking up in a warehouse strapped to hundreds of oil drums, hearing her family's voices through a rigged radio connection…

Terror struck her. Jon, Amanda, Henry, Elise, Andrew… what happened to them? Had they gotten to them in time? Her unobstructed eye began to search her surroundings, desperate for any sign that her relatives might still be alive. Instead, it was her coin, Jon's lucky coin, given to him before all this had begun. Alicia reached for it and held it up to see its face. If the coin was fine, her family had to be too.

Unfortunately, when she turned the coin over, the other side was black, burnt, and scarred in the aftermath of last night's incident.

A grim realization dawned on Alicia.

The sound, the whole room, it drowned out around her. She barely felt her face contort in despair, or heard her voice cry out a sobbing cry, and repeated howls of her relatives. Nothing existed in her mind, except the memory of five rabbits, their bodies reflected by the rays of the sun in a shining city, giving a genuine smile as a final respect.

The soundless sobbing turned to similarly silent shrieking, then yelling, then screaming. Alicia was seen suddenly leaping out of her bed, smashing every piece of medical equipment around her, cutting herself with a scalpel, and screaming the names of her family members over and over. Every action caused the bandages to peel away from what was left of her fur. Five nurses emerged and began trying to restrain Alicia. She struggled against the paws, tearing them away in fury. Alicia's ears feverishly rang as she slowly lost consciousness when a syringe struck her arm.

Her mother was gone.

Her father was gone.

Her brother was gone.

Her sisters were gone.

Everything she loved most in this world was gone.

And now, she was all alone.


	22. Everything Burns

"Bill, I have to disagree with you. So far, Officer Hopps has been our best weapon against the Joker. Her actions five nights ago paid off—"

"Only to fail in the end _yesterday!_ Her performance is nothing short of an example of great incompetence! She caught the clown, yes, but then ran off and gave him the chance to escape! She saved District Attorney Alicia Garnet as well, but left her scarred and sent to the hospital. And it gets even worse! The Palmtrees Hotel  & Restaurant was destroyed, and hundreds of lives lost! What does that tell you about this so-called hero cop? At what point did it seem like a good idea to let the clown blow up one of the most popular resorts in the city?"

Bill DeCaribou and Peter Moosebridge, co-hosts of _Zootopia Daily,_ debated the issue on the millions of screens across the city. On one particular screen, Lucius Walrus watched them talk in the comfort of his desk. He held a glass of orange juice with a fish on top, and took seconds to drink it.

* * *

Jason Dawes waited outside Alicia's hospital room, his back pressed against the door. He knew every detail that was being said of his girlfriend's current condition. She was lashing out, breaking down, and anguishing over the loss of her family. It broke his own heart to see her in such pain, but nothing compared to the tragedy he suffered deep inside. It was something else other than losing Alicia. Squeezing his eyes shut, Jason took a deep breath and found himself shivering with rage.

Judy arrived at the hallway, with Nick and Commissioner Cluck behind her.

"I'm sorry about Alicia, Jason," Judy apologized. "We came here to see if she's okay. It's the least I could do for your girlfriend."

Jason's expression turned grim. He turned away.

"She broke up with me."

Judy's eyes widened, "What?"

"Alicia broke up with me," Jason repeated, turning his head to look at Judy with tears in his eyes. "She can't stand me or anyone looking at her with a ruined face. She's traumatized by the accident. And whenever I talk to her, she screams over and over. In the end, she says that we're through. That we're done." His voice trembled, "That it's over."

Judy mused, "That's horrible…"

Jason barreled on in stress, "I was so close… So close! I was about to propose to Alicia, to ask her to marry me, to make her a part of _my_ life! Before she could say yes, you dragged her away!" She cast an accusing glare at Judy, "I had my chance, and you ruined it! What is your big deal, taking away the rabbit who's going to be my wife? How selfish can you be?"

Judy's eyes flashed with concern, "You're gonna marry Alicia?"

Jason confessed, "Yes, I was going to marry her. I loved her, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." He took a deep sigh, and continued, "Let me tell you something, Hopps. At what point did it seem like a good idea to burn Alicia's face in half, and let the Joker blow up Palmtrees?"

Judy hesitated, "Um…"

Jason held up a paw to interrupt her, "No!" Again, the grim expression, "Do you realize that the biggest hero in Zootopia is scarred for life? Do you realize that many lives were lost?" He became much angrier, and his voice rose to a yell, " **DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU LEFT DOZENS OF FAMILIES HOMELESS WITH NO HOME TO GO TO?!** " He advanced towards Judy, and the volume in his voice lessened, "You think Alicia is the only one living in Palmtrees? I have a family that lives here, too, you know."

Judy exclaimed, "You have a family as well?"

Jason nodded, "That's right. My sister made her residence on the fourteen floor, a few floors from the penthouse. Her name is Rachel Dawes. She worked for the State Department, Animal Resources. I know it's boring, but it earned her a lot of money to pay rent, and it enabled her to raise a son. A baby bunny. I'm very proud to be an uncle, and I thought that if I married Alicia, she'd be an aunt as well. But that opportunity flew out the window when Palmtrees blew up… and Rachel and the baby died with it."

Judy whispered sadly, "Jason…"

Jason spat with contempt bitterly laced into his words, "It's all gone. Our homes, our families, our dreams… and it's all because of you. You left them to die. Well, not that it matters, at least to you." His dark expression festered, "You think you fight for us? You just fight for yourself. Who's going to avenge Alicia and my sister, Hopps? Who's going to avenge all those lives? They wouldn't have died if it wasn't for you. Alicia did everything she could, but you did not. She's a far better hero than you will ever be. She's hurt." He paused to add more effect, "And I blame you."

With that last word said in the matter, Jason stormed from the hallway, leaving Judy visibly shaken. Nick and Cluck tried to comfort her, "It's okay, Judy. It's okay."

* * *

" _Coming up next, we have a very special guest live on television. Coleman Reese is a credible source, a top-ranking accountant highly recommended from a prestigious consultancy. He claims that he's waited as long as he can for Officer Hopps to do the right thing. And now, he's taking matters into his own paws. We'll be back after these messages..._ "

Watching the screen, Lucius was slightly appealed by his employee's nerve to do such a thing.

* * *

Judy stepped into the hospital room, and looked at Alicia for the first time since she was escorted back home by the police. Her arms were strapped to the bed, covered in scabs, scratches, and burns. Her right profile was the only thing presentable at the moment. Alicia's functioning eye stared away, refusing to look at her former friend.

Judy opened her mouth to speak, choking on words, "Hey, Ali. I… I wanted to see you. See how you're doing."

Cold silence.

"The doctor told me about what happened last night. About how you reacted, how they had to drag you away."

No response.

"They said you tried hurting yourself, because you were in agonizing pain," Judy stated, and she glanced pointedly at the straps holding her friend's arms. "Is that why they tied you down? The strangest part is that you won't accept any medication… That you're refusing to…" She hesitated, then continued, "…accept fur grafts."

"Judy…" Alicia still looked away, but she began to whisper softly. "Do you remember that name… you all had for me… way back when the two of us were in college together? What was it, Judy?"

"Ali, I—"

"Say it."

Judy glanced away uncomfortably.

" **SAY IT!** "

Judy jumped at the outburst, and decided to get the ordeal over and done with. She recalled that Alicia once had a nickname, a name that earned her a fierce reputation for leaving things up to chance, making her own luck as she pleased. That was but another traits befitting her personality, what she does, what she was good at. Finally, Judy gave her answer.

"Two-Face. Alicia Two-Face."

Alicia turned his head to look at Judy, her right eye burning darkly. She sullenly asked, "Why should I hide who I am? Ask me why."

Judy reluctantly complied, "Okay, why?"

Alicia breathed steadily, "It's been very difficult, you know? Having to put your whole being in the line of fire, trying to protect the ones you care about? I mean, why do I have to come here and spend each day cheerfully smiling at friends who turned out to be enemies? My true feelings have to be hidden behind the mask of a district attorney. Those feelings deep inside are a desire, a desire that urges me to seek retribution, to do whatever it takes to protect the things that matter…"

It was at that moment when Alicia reared her head, revealing the left side of her once-beautiful face, now horribly disfigured by the various third-degree burns she received from the errant flames of the previous evening. Alicia's left profile was now a terrible mixture of pinkish red and grayish charcoal scarring. Much of the left side of her jaw and buck tooth had been exposed, revealing bifurcated, burnt muscle underneath, and whatever remained of her left long ear was limp and unable to function, with a somewhat pale hue.

"I was shocked and distressed of the scar I got from the fire, but at the same time… I relished in it. That's why I refuse medication on my face. I'm keeping it as a reminder, as a lesson, as I causality I suffered from the war… And I won't be healed until I get back in the field and win the game."

Judy lowered her head shamefully, "Ali, I'm sorry. I embarrassed you. I let your family die. I'm so sorry, Ali. I really…" She raised her head, and the tears flowed from her face, "I really didn't handle the situation well." She clapped her paws to her face and continued to weep, "I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for everything!"

The world seemed to have faded around them as Alicia, through her unobstructed eye, knew how Judy felt. The pain of losing a loved one, the pain of failure, the feeling of powerlessness, and the desire to fight back… They both shared the same feelings, and it was through mutual understanding that they proved right.

Eventually, Alicia shook her head lightly. She tried to make herself comforting as possible, "It wasn't your fault, Judy. You didn't do anything wrong, I know that. It was the Joker. He's the one responsible for what he did to us. For what he did to me."

Judy wiped her tears away, and her eyes lit hopefully. "You're not mad at me?"

Alicia deadpanned, "Why would I be mad at you? You're my best friend. And I don't blame you for choosing me. The clown tricked you into thinking you picked my family instead of me. You did what you had to do, to save as many lives as you can." Her voice trembled with the bitter truth, "Who would've thought that losses in war are inevitable?"

Judy nodded in understanding, "I know how you feel."

Alicia sighed admittedly, "It really is a mess. On our way home from Critterland, my family and I were kidnapped by cops."

Judy gasped, "Cops? How could they…?"

Alicia explained, "I'm taking about corrupt cops, ZPD officers from Precinct One on Pappagello's payroll. They've been paid to get rid of me…" Her body shook with frustration, "Why didn't anyone realize it sooner? Why didn't they listen to me? Those idiots… If only Bogo actually grew a spine to stand up against corruption like you did, even from within the force, instead of selling his soul to the Devil…"

"I didn't know you tried to warn us. That you knew they were working for the Mob. Yesterday, Woltz and Ramirez were sent to escort you to Critterland and back…"

"The last thing I remember, Woltz was taking me back to Palmtrees on a car separate from my family. And the next thing I knew, I was knocked out cold. And then… you saw and knew what happened last night."

"Do you know who picked up your family?"

"No, but I have a hunch to know who it is."

Judy sighed agitatedly, "Sometimes, I don't know which in the ZPD I can trust."

Alicia stated, "First rule in trust: what goes around comes around." She saw the confused look on Judy's face, and smiled, "But isn't it funny? That even the biggest heroes can fall for the biggest tricks."

Judy couldn't help but laugh at this wisecrack, "Yeah, that's true! We're all falling for it like a ton of bricks."

Alicia barely stifled her own laugh, "Even the craziest tricks come from somewhere!"

The laughter resounded throughout the room, and after a few minutes, they both calmed down, returning to the normal atmosphere. In an instant, the two were revitalized by a pleasant conversation between friends.

Alicia breathed contently, "Yeah, that's the stuff. I'm feeling better already. And I'm still keeping my anger management degree. Thank God for you, Jude. You're the only family I have left."

Judy replied, "And you're like the older sister I never have, out of 275." Then a thought occurred to her, "Why did you break up with Jason?"

Alicia confessed, "I had to break ties with him because I don't want him involved anymore. It if happened to my mom, dad, Andrew, Henry, and Elise, it could happen to anyone, especially him." She continued hesitantly, "I hope you'll understand. What I have to do to keep him safe."

Judy remembered Jason's tragic story. She sighed sadly, "I'm really sorry, Ali."

Alicia insisted, "Stop. Please. Don't say that. Don't do this to yourself, Jude. The Joker did this, not you. He played us all for fools. It's like smoke and mirrors and nothing like we've ever trained for." She grew with angry determination, "But it's that clown who going to be _sorry_ this time!" On these last two words, her head and paws jerked upward, only to be restrained.

Judy wondered, "What are you saying, Ali?"

Alicia answered, "I'm trying to say, Jude, that I'm going back out there, and I'll be by your side again. You, me, and your fox partner, the three of us working together. We'll bring the clown to justice, and instead of sending him to jail, we'll send to the asylum!" She added with fierce conviction, "I'm going to pay him back for what he did to me. For what he did to my family. I'll make sure they hadn't died for nothing. And I won't let what happened to them happen to anyone else again."

Judy smiled proudly, "Now, that's the Alicia I know! If there's one thing I've learned worthwhile, bad things happen. It's time we move on." She put a paw on Alicia's, "And we never give up, no matter what stands in our way."

Alicia patted it in approval, "Once again, you've exposed your words of inspiration."

Judy asked eagerly, "So, you ready to come back with us?"

Alicia replied, "I'd love to, but at the moment, I can't. The doctor kept me restrained, and he refuses to let me go unless I accept medication, no matter how many times I refused. At least I can press the buzzer to have the nurse get me a glass of water or a phone call."

The badger doctor came into the room and took Judy's arm, "Excuse me, Officer Hopps? Visiting hours are over, so we're asking you to leave. The patient is not fully healed."

"I understand. Thanks, Doc," Judy nodded softly. As she turned to go, she faced Alicia with a confident smile. "Thanks, Ali, for not giving up on me."

"And you in me," Alicia nodded. "We'll be back in the saddle again, I just know it. I'll be outta this bed when you least expect it."

"How?" Judy questioned.

"I dunno," Alicia shrugged. "Something dramatic, I hope."

* * *

"Phew! That was close!" Judy sighed in relief as she stood outside the door with Nick and Cluck. "And here, I thought she's gonna go crazy like all these heroes in the comics turned to the dark side."

"You've read comics?" Nick asked. "Since when did you become a collector?"

"I've bought a lot in my time, and the printed adventures inspired me to be a police officer," Judy explained. "Bat-Bat is my personal favorite."

"I see," Cluck confirmed. "Comic book stories are your inspiration."

"In a way, yes," Judy admitted.

Suddenly, a voice echoed a few feet away. "This craziness, it's too much. Too, too much…" It was Salvatore Pappagello's voice, and the three turned to see one of the last remaining Mob crime lords, his left talon bandaged by a cast, and his cage held by a grizzly bear. Pappagello stared down with regret. "We've made a terrible mistake. We thought that hiring the clown could get rid of the bunny cop. But it turns out, things are worse than before. Much worse."

Judy crossed her arms with a frown, "Well, you should've thought about that before you let the clown outta the box."

"You want him?"

Judy, Nick, and Cluck paused at this unexpected inquiry.

"I can tell you where he'll be this afternoon."

* * *

On the other side of town, a far different kind of meeting was going on. In an abandoned ship within the harbor, a mountain of cash sat shielded from the world's view. Sitting atop the pile was Chin Lau, bound and gagged, looking around in fear. Climbing the pile was the Joker, enjoying a half of the Mob's assets as early payment for his services. Surrounding the pile were ten dogs in clown masks, armed with cheap submachine rifles, and five penguins in black suits carrying their own weapons. And finally, Pinguino, accompanied by two polar bear bodyguards, watching the Joker with complete amusement.

"I have to admit, clown, you've more than outdid yourself!" Pinguino hollered to the clown walking atop the pile. "You're not as crazy as you look after all!"

"I told you, didn't I? I'm a jackal of my word!" the Joker replied, as he jumped and slid down the mountain of cash like a snowboard, some of the stacks flowing downward in the process. Upon reaching the floor, he asked, "Where's the Green Parrot?"

* * *

At the parking lot in Precinct One Headquarters, the ZPD station currently under repair, Commissioner James Cluck rounded up unit after unit to prepare for a recapture of the wanted clown criminal. He gave his orders, "All tactical units will converge on the location in twenty minutes. I want auxiliary units to cover any and all potential escape routes. This is our chance, everyone. I want Lau alive, the Joker either way."

* * *

The Joker picked up thick bricks of cash and hurled them at Lau, still sitting on top of the tall heap. The frightened red panda tried to dodge what he could. Pinguino smiled darkly, "As promised, Mr. Joker, you've received half of our deposits. Since Pappagello's not around, I've taken temporary command. You've discredited the bunny cop, and the bunny lawyer is down for the count!" He then chuckled, "Y'know, our little team could use a dog of your talents in high places." The Joker didn't answer and kept chucking the money stacks at Lau. "I'd be happy if you'd consider being my business partner. Together, we will own this city!"

The Joker turned and finally faced the penguin Mob boss. His attention was grabbed, and Pinguino extended his flipper to shake, "Can I count you in, then?"

The Joker rolled his eyes and chuckled gleefully, "Well, that sounds great and all. Take over the city, get a lot of money, blah blah blah. So original."

Pinguino's brow furrowed in confusion, "But you've won! The cops are in no position to boss us around anymore, the lawyers are out of business, and you got what you wanted!" He gestured to the mountain of cash behind the clown, "What are you going to do with all this?"

The Joker smiled, "I'm glad you asked, Happy Feet. I was hoping you would join us. We're about to have ourselves a party! We'll start by unwrapping the presents. You wanna know what's on the list?"

Pinguino said reluctantly, "Alright… What are those _presents?_ "

The Joker counted his fingers, "We have dynamite… and gunpowder… and GASOLINE!"

On cue, the clowns walked around behind a shipping container, and emerged with tanks of gasoline. They began to douse the money in the liquid. "What are you doing?!" Pinguino exclaimed shockingly.

"Ah-da-da-da-da," the Joker laid a single purple-gloved claw on the penguin crime boss's lips. "And you know the thing they relatively have in common? They're cheap."

* * *

Currently broadcasting on Zootopia News Network was the interview between Peter Moosebridge and Coleman Reese. It was made known to the public a few minutes earlier that Mr. Reese would disclose the link between Walrus Tech Enterprises and Judy Hopps on live television. In order to get their ratings as high as possible, the network prolonged the secret's unveiling by having some callers ask some questions regarding the issue. One caller asked, " _I want to know how much they're paying you to say who Judy Hopps really is…_ "

Reese's reply to this inquiry was not audible as the ZPD preparing their equipment before departure for the Joker's current location, as provided by Salvatore Pappagello. Detective Wilson, interested in the news coverage, informed Cluck, "Hey, Jim! Get a load of this!"

"Let's go to the next caller," Moosebridge pulled out a little remote and pushed a button. "Hello, caller. You're on the air."

" _Thank you, Peter! What I want to know is, if Officer Hopps can't, or maybe even won't stop the Joker, but the Joker claims that he'll stop when he kills Hopps, why aren't we considering trusting the latter? And even in a worse-case scenario, I'd much rather deal with only one psychopath instead of two! Alicia Garnet, now that's something. She didn't want to give in to the demands of this maniac. You think you know better than her, Reese?_ "

Reese replied, "I think that if we could talk to Miss Garnet today, she may feel differently."

"And we wish her a speedy recovery," Moosebridge confirmed. "Because God knows, we need her now."

* * *

"Y-You said you were a jackal of your word," Pinguino was a bit perturbed as to what the clown intended to do with the money.

"I am," the Joker assured, pulling out a lighter from his pocket. "I'm only burning my half." He flicked it open, lit it, and threw it onto the pile all in one deft motion. The flames began to angrily devour the cloth, hundreds of millions of dollars simply crumpling and blackening. Lau looked down, his eyes wide with horror, as the fire began to lick up towards where he sat. His muffled screaming sounded throughout the warehouse, as well as the aggressive barking of dogs.

Pinguino looked behind him at his polar bear guards. They took no action to stop the Joker, and began to step past him to join the clowns. He turned back to the Joker, who looked him right in the eyes.

"All you care about is money," the Joker drew close to Pinguino, who stood his ground but was obviously stirred. "I think it's about time you took a little vacation. Might finally give you a haircut for that overgrown grape of hair."

"Y-Y-Y-You…" Pinguino stammered. "W-W-W-What do you want…?"

"What do I want? I'm giving Zootopia exactly what it needs," the Joker smiled coyly. "This town deserves a better class of criminal, and I'm gonna give it to 'em." Holding a gun in his paw, he let his demand register with the penguin, "Tell your men they work for me now. This is my city."

Pinguino didn't answer, his mind rapidly trying to calculate a solution that would still benefit him. A few seconds, and he gave a rebuttal of disgust, "They won't work… for a _freak!_ "

" _Freak…_ " the Joker mocked Pinguino's broken voice, and flicked his paw to reveal a long, steel potato peeler. "How about we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches, hmm? And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog _really_ is!"

The polar bears grabbed Pinguino's body and forcefully dragged him away to his grisly fate. He had become food for his pets, the wild dogs.

The Joker watched him go, and pulled a cellphone from his jacket pocket. "It's not about money… it's about sending a message." He dialed a number, "Everything burns!"

* * *

Coincidentally, _Zootopia Daily_ just received another call. Moosebridge wondered, "Who is this?"

" _Why, hello, Zootopia Daily!_ " the Joker's nasally voice grabbed everyone's attention. Moosebridge and Reese glanced around confusedly, and with growing dread. " _You've been saying a lot of things lately that got me thinking, and I imagined what it would be like if we live in a world WITHOUT Judy Hopps. And do you know what I saw in that vision? The Mob ground out a little profit, and the police tried to shut them down one block at a time. And it was so…_ _ **boring.**_ _I've had a change of heart. I don't want Judy Hopps dead anymore, and I don't want her to resign from the ZPD anymore. In fact, I don't want anyone trying to spoil our fun, in other words, Mr. Reese trying to reveal how Judy got all these wonderful toys. So, I'd like to play a little game with our special guest! If Coleman Reese isn't dead in 60 minutes, then I blow up a hospital._ "

Reese sat dumbfounded for a moment, chilled to the bone. Then he saw the studio audience, hundreds of eyes staring at him, eyes that had loved ones in the hospital.

* * *

With this sudden change of plans, Cluck was dead-set on dealing with this new predicament. "I want you to call in every officer! Tell them to head to the nearest hospital and start evac and search! Call the transit authorities, the school board, and prisons! Get every available bus down to a hospital! The priority is Zootopia General! We'll let everyone out of that place right now!" He then pointed to three nearby officers, "You, you, and you, come with me!"

"Where are we going, sir?"

"To get Reese."

* * *

Luckily, Judy's office survived the damage last night, and the rabbit officer darted from her seat to the computer. She began typing on the keyboard, and Nick stood beside her. A few more strokes of the keys, and Judy stood up again.

"Alright, I need you to plug into the mainframe, and check on Cluck's officers and their families," Judy instructed her fox partner.

"Looking for what exactly?" Nick asked.

"Hospital admissions."

"You wanna use the Hopp-Pod for this one?"

"And cause collateral damage like last time? Not that subtle."

"Then you can borrow one of the cars from the parking lot," Nick glanced around at Judy, who rushed for the door. He then went for the desktop. "Much more subtle."

Time to play the clown's game.


	23. Hospital Havoc

Ten minutes later, the city was tearing itself apart. Boarding one of the police cars from the Precinct One parking lot, Judy drove down the sidewalk. There was no fanfare or cheering from the people as she went by; at most, she got uneasy stares. Panic had gripped every citizen as he and she tried to keep far away from both crowds and approaching vehicles.

Uniformed police officers dashed into countless hospitals to break up medical procedures. They pealed their squad cars into the parking lots, all sirens blaring, and leapt out to disappear into the terminals. Throngs of patients and medical personnel were taking to the streets, trying to make their way outside the medical centers as calmly as possible, which translated into a mad pushing and yelling competition. Car wrecks lined the roads, and some people simply gave up on vehicles and went on foot. Crowds poured from the subways, further blocking up the roadways. Soon, Judy found it virtually impossible to avoid running into pedestrians, so she took a detour.

" _I hope Alicia's okay…_ " she thought to herself.

* * *

Zootopia General Hospital was not exempt from the city-wide alarm. The hallways were clogged with patients in their hospital gowns shuffling towards the exits, nurse and doctors running back and forth with paperwork and bags and medicine, and stretchers carrying the seriously ill. Outside, ten buses were lined up for evacuation. Police and doctors ran around, desperately trying to maintain some sense of order in all the confusion. The warning sirens blared in the courtyard, menacing voices permeating the air.

One of the nurses, an antelope, after barely squeezing through the crowded hallway and reaching one of her patients, urged a nearby elephant officer for assistance. That same officer happened to guard the room where Alicia Garnet lay dormant.

Before leaving, the elephant said to his partner, "I'll go get a bus for her."

* * *

Cluck and a second officer pushed through the revolving door into the news studio's lobby. Behind them, a growing mob of citizens yelled angrily, being held back only by the best efforts of a dozen policemammals.

A few minutes later, they came walking back, this time with Coleman Reese in tow. Coleman eyed the crowd warily through the wide glass windows that made the building's façade, and hesitated in his gait.

Ever the opportunist, Peter Moosebridge, accompanied by a beaver holding a camera, attempted a makeshift interview with the police commissioner. "Commissioner, you think that an ordinary citizen would try to kill Mr. Reese?" Cluck didn't answer right away, instead just pushing Coleman's shoulder to keep him moving towards the door.

Suddenly, on the other side of the window, a crocodile raised a pistol in his claw. Two shots echoed throughout the lobby, and the bullets left cracks in the window. Both shots missed their mark, but still sent Coleman cowering in panic. Outside, two cops grabbed the crocodile and wrestled him to the ground. The crowd split apart, yelling in panic.

Cluck yelled out, "Get us around the back!" He roughly took Coleman's arm and pulled him back away from the lobby.

"Go! Keep going, sir!" Moosebridge informed the others.

* * *

Turning her police car around the corner, Judy notified Nick via her iPhone and a handless communication device, "I see Leo O'Brien and Tigre Richards!"

" _Nope, there isn't any immediate family member admitted to any hospital, Carrots._ "

* * *

In the back of the studio, the trio found the police van waiting, alongside two mid-sized automobiles. Obviously worried about the fact that someone tried a hit on his life, Coleman cried, "Oh, my God… They're trying to kill me…"

"Well, maybe Officer Hopps will save you," Cluck spat out hastily. They clambered inside, and the vehicle slowly edged from the alleyway, a familiar police car discreetly following them from afar.

* * *

The elephant officer, who barely managed to reserve a bus for Alicia Garnet, radioed his partner, "Lewis, I got space. Bring her out." Strangely enough, there was no answer. Running back to the hospital, he cried, "Lewis!"

* * *

Judy informed Nick, "I also saw Helmut Zeebo and Kyle Badger."

" _Nothing on both of 'em._ "

"And there's a patrol wolf with neat black fur I don't recognize. I'm sending the information to Cluck!"

* * *

Inside the van, the said patrol wolf was Danny Berg, anxiously holding onto his riot shotgun.

"Okay, so what now?" Coleman looked frantically out the van's windows. Across from him were the commissioner and a second officer. "Where are we going?"

Cluck said nothing at first, as he scanned the street around the van. "Someplace safe, I'm not sure where yet. We'll just keep driving until we figure it out."

Just then, his phone buzzed, and he received a text message from Judy on his cell. The message read: " _Watch out._ "

* * *

At the hospital, the elephant officer was alone, save for a single nurse and patient, in the otherwise empty hall. "Lewis! You there?" When he entered the room, he found Alicia lying on the bed, her right eye closed; she had been miraculously sleeping through the whole ordeal. Standing over Alicia were three cops, three hyenas, to be precise, looking down at the patient, their backs to the elephant.

"Thank God, there's backup!" the elephant officer breathed. "C'mon, we're gonna have to move her now."

"We know," the first hyena replied. "We're securing her."

"Well, c'mon!" the elephant motioned with his trunk. "We have to take her somewhere."

"We don't."

At that moment, one of the phony officers shot a bullet into the elephant's heart, the goliath collapsing to the floor. The deed done, the hyenas turned to the unsuspecting Alicia with expressions of dark ecstasy on their faces.

* * *

Cluck's latest inbox message read: " _Cops with relatives in Zootopia hospitals – Nest and Berg._ " Having caught wind of this silent hint of information, he casually turned to Berg and asked, "Berg, isn't it?"

"Commissioner?"

"Are you alright?"

Berg regained some of his composure, "Yes. Do you need something, sir?"

Cluck said calmly, "I'm going to need your weapon, son."

"What?" Berg lowered and pointed his riot gun at a frightened Coleman, visibly shaken. "Why? Because my wife's in the hospital?"

Cluck nodded, "Yeah, that'd be why."

Outside, Judy's police vehicle kept the pace. At the same time, a large pick-up truck drove up along the street to the left and pulled over by the sidewalk. The driver hippo leaned out the window and stared at the police van, his eyes dead set…

* * *

" **WAKEY-WAKEY!** "

Alicia gasped from her nap at hearing the loud screech. Her breaths coming in pants, she witnessed the hyenas raising the bed, putting her in a sitting position. She scanned the faces of these phony cops, then her right eye dilated with realization. "I know you… You're Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, the hyena beat cop trio from Precinct One!"

"Why, Garnet, it's us: the Ghosts of Christmas Past," mocked Shenzi, the female and leader of the trio. "Enjoy your nap when it lasts, 'cause you're in for a rude awakening."

Alicia tried to stand up, only to be held back by the elbows, while the hyenas laughed mockingly at her futile attempt. Banzai jeered, "Don't bother struggling. These restraints are for dumb bunnies like you. They'll hold ya."

Alicia demanded angrily, "This is madness! What's gotten into you?!"

Shenzi sneered, "With you always running around, bringing crooks to jail and whatnot, you make us cops look like bums! Same goes for Hopps. Both you and her are always taking work away from good cops, real cops like us. You're nothing but little jerks!"

Banzai added bitterly, "You do all the work, and now you gotta make cutbacks, so you're laying out the good ol' Graveyard trio. Well, I think that stinks!"

Alicia gritted her teeth, "I was right all along. This Precinct's overrun by cops, in reality, nothing more but lowlifes and thugs! Maniacs paid by Pappagello! Workers for the Mob!"

Ed retorted, "The Mob's got nothin' to do with it, Garnet. But you're right. Pappagello's our buyer. He pays big for the use of our talents. Working for him is a million times better than piddling around on Sahara Square with nothing to do."

Alicia snorted, "And I take it you work with the Joker, too? Last I checked, he's a laughing animal. Hyenas are."

Shenzi chuckled maliciously, "That's right. The Joker also pays for our work. And now, we're going to finish what he started. We're going to finish you off, the same way we finished off your family yesterday when you left Critterland!"

Banzai growled, "Consider this payback for making fools out of us cops! We've suffered enough indignity from you for the last time!"

Alicia's anger intensified, "Is this your kind of revenge? You want to destroy my world? Make my life miserable?! You're good cops gone bad… No, you're bad cops gone _worse!_ "

"Enough talk," Shenzi brandished a revolver in her paw and raised the barrel to Alicia's forehead. "Time to settle the score, you little bitch."

"Hey, we still have a lot of time before the hospital explodes. So let's play a little game!" Ed smirked, and the other two laughed in cruel agreement. He then took Alicia's lucky coin from the table beside the rabbit and raised it up, "Let's leave it to chance! It's what you're good at, right?"

" **HEY!** " Alicia screamed, struggling to lunge up and retrieve what was left of her family. "That my coin, and that's my shtick!"

"Heads, you live," Banzai mocked, revealing the coin's unscathed profile.

"Give it back!"

"Tails…" Banzai turned the coin around to reveal its scarred side. "…you die."

" **GIVE IT BACK!** "

Alicia kept on struggling against the restraints, fearing for what was to come.

Suddenly, the thick elastic substance seemed to have bleached.

No… it was frozen solid!

The ice had slowly seized upon each strand of the elastic, and rendered it inflexible and stiff and brittle.

And finally, with a desperate growl and one last tug, a crack sounded in the room as the restraints snapped and shattered into pieces, and Alicia pounced. The hyenas gasped in shock as the rabbit plummeted a strong foot across Banzai's face, knocking him out cold, and the silver coin was caught in her paw in one swift move.

" **STOP HER!** " Shenzi shouted.

With another swift movement, Alicia fought the remaining hyenas that tried to grab her. Her blows delivered as fast as lightning, from punches to kicks. With all three hyenas incapacitated, Alicia took slow and steady breaths to revitalize herself, and dusted her medical gown off.

"Did I mention I also studied martial arts?" Alicia smirked proudly, a paw around her left hip. "You think just because I'm lawyer doesn't mean I can fight? Hmph!" Her face turned from proudness to curiosity, "But I don't know why I'm able to break free from the bed. I was sleeping the whole time, and then…"

When she turned to the bed, she saw tiny bolts of ice lying on the mattress, the elastic restraints limp and boundless. As Alicia stared closely with her unscarred eye, she discovered that the source came from tiny devices secretly installed within the bands, containing the ability to freeze solid anything in less than an hour. That's when it struck her; Judy was helping her escape! She knew the Joker would soon come after her, whether a thug disguised as a nurse of a cop would come to assassinate her!

"You saved my life again, Jude! Thanks a lot!" Alicia appreciated the work her friend did for her. "Your toys could use an adjustment, but whatever." She gestured to the door, "I gotta get some clothes on, and fast."

* * *

Judy spotted the truck, and an uneasy feeling rose in her stomach. She didn't think the one driving the truck had intentions at heart.

The light turned green, and the police van moved forward into the intersection.

"Mr. Reese…"

Berg aimed the riot gun. Unable to convince him to relinquish it, Cluck wrenched it away, a shot firing up the ceiling.

Meanwhile, the truck's driver suddenly revved the engine and floored the accelerator. The tires pealed on the asphalt as the truck bolted forward, rushing at the van where Reese sat. Reacting quickly, Judy revved her vehicle.

 **CRASH!**

The truck's hood buckled as Judy's car bumper slammed into it, and the shockwave forced the whole front of the vehicle to crumple and halt in its tracks. Overall, no one was left unharmed.

 **A few minutes later…**

"You're under arrest for attempted murder! You have the right to remain silent!" Judy slapped a pair of handcuffs onto the truck driver and led him away. Coleman Reese, still trembling from the ordeal, clambered out of the van and looked at the rabbit in the middle of the road.

"O-Officer Hopps?" Coleman stuttered out, and he slowly extended his hand. "T-T-Thank you, for saving my life."

"That's what we do at the ZPD," Judy obliged by resting her paw against the black sheep's palm, and shook it. "We do our best."

"Hopps!" Judy turned to see Commissioner Cluck coming up to him. He commended, "That was a very courageous thing you did."

Judy flashed a smile, "Trying to catch the light?"

Cluck chuckled admittedly, "We've been a little cautious." He and the rabbit turned to the other officers for another report, whilst Coleman was escorted by personnel. The Walrus Tech Enterprises employee felt like a heel, being saved by the rabbit he had been trying to ransack to the public. The brave deed was all it took to change his mind.

* * *

In the empty intensive care unit, Alicia was dressed back into her burnt glittering red gown, her lucky coin kept safe under the palm of her gloved paw, before putting it in her pocket. Wiping the sweat protruding from the right side of her figure, she said, "I rummaged a few closets, but it's worth finding them." She looked around to notice there wasn't a single soul occupying the hallway. "The place is deserted. But why…?"

Silence for a second.

Then behind her, a blast blew out the door furthest down the hall. When she turned around, her right eye widened with terror. "Uh-oh!"

Alicia ran as fast as she could down the corridor as explosion after explosion sounded behind her, each one coming after another room closer. With a mighty scream, she jumped through the window straight ahead, and as it crashed, she fell off the building. Fortunately, the floor was two stories tall, and the impact on the solid concrete wasn't strong enough to kill her. Recovering quickly, Alicia ran off, leaving the imploding hospital behind.

Outside, the remaining crowd watched in horror as windows were randomly, one by one, shattered outwards by a small fireball, and bricks and debris began raining down. The blasts sounded like a symphony, with the Joker, having pressed the button on his makeshift detonator from a distance, as the conductor. The staccato explosions came faster and faster, until it was a tumultuous roar. Drawing near an empty bus overrun by fifty animals, the Joker opened the emergency rear exit, climbed in, and drove it away.

Finally, the hospital sagged, and fell into a cloud of flame. The clown felt the satisfying quake of the building's collapse shaking the whole bus, completely unaware that the district attorney checked herself out.


	24. Prelude to Chaos

Citizens by the hundreds perceived the explosive booms a few miles away. Commissioner James Cluck jerked his head right to where the noise originated. "Southeast…"

"That's Zootopia General!" Judy snapped her fingers. "Alicia's in there, or maybe she _was_ , when I froze those restraints. I knew the Joker would come after her, so I left behind a little surprise. I gave her a chance to let her escape." She rubbed her chin, "Did she make it out of here? Or did she…?"

Cluck pulled out a radio and spoke into it, "This is Cluck. Did you clear the building?"

" _Yes, sir. We've just brought in the fire department._ "

"I'll be right there," Cluck complied.

* * *

Judy was pacing in the hospital's destruction site, her mind flitting from the devastation to where Alicia was and what to do next. There's no need to jump to conclusions; she needed to keep calm in the face of chaos.

"We need to know how many patients were inside," Cluck stated, observing the wreckage. "You got patient lists, roll calls…"

A raccoon officer reported, "Right now, sir, we're showing fifty animals missing: one bus. All these other buses are heading off to other hospitals. My guess is that we missed one."

"Well, what's your guess as to where Alicia Garnet is?!" Cluck demanded impatiently. "Keep looking! And keep it to yourself; if anybody asks, we got her out." As the raccoon left, Detective Ramirez arrived and stood by him as requested. Cluck ordered her, "Get me the mayor's office on the line. We're gonna need the National Guard."

At that moment, Nick came onto the scene, and saw Judy holding her phone to her ear. She waited a few seconds, then groaned and redialed. She pondered, "I don't know if she made it out of the hospital or not. I just want to know if she's okay."

Nick shrugged, "You never know. Your bunny friend's full of surprises."

Judy replied, "Now that you mention it, she said she'd do something dramatic. It's like something we won't expect, something that'll turn the tide in our favor. So in a sense, I guess you can say she's full of surprises." She stood firm, "But I know Alicia. She's my best friend, and she's strong to let this stop her. I know she's out there somewhere. And I still believe in her. We made it this far together, and I'm not quitting on her."

Nick stretched his arms, "So, it's back to catching the clown and wrapping up this crazy party!" His eyes narrowed, "But the bad news is, we don't have any leads left. How are we supposed to find him at this rate? It's gonna take some sort of satellite network to scan the whole city for anything that looks like a dog with a Chelsea grin."

"That's exactly what we need," Judy smiled. She turned to a large skyscraper seen from a bird's eye, "We're gonna need some new equipment, Nick."

* * *

The smoldering ruins of Zootopia General Hospital stared from the televisions across the city, as families held each other close, horrified at the war zone the city had become. " _…reported that one of the buses has been declared missing with fifty animals inside. And to make matters worse, ZNN's own Peter Moosebridge disappeared moments after Mr. Reese was escorted from the studio. I'm being told we are cutting to a video that ZNN has just received._ "

The video showed a captured Peter Moosebridge, his clothing messed up, and his muzzle smeared with the Joker's red make-up. He held a number of large cards, sheets of paper to be exact, and read from them. Behind him was a curtain with a message scrawled in crude red letters, "BREAKING NEWS."

" _I'm Peter Moosebridge from Zootopia Tonight, reporting to you live from Joker TV…_ " Moosebridge nervously relayed the announcement. " _What does it take to make you people want to join in? You failed to kill the lawyer. I've got to get you off the bench…_ " the Joker's voice began echoing the frightened reporter's, " _...and into the game. Come nightfall, Zootopia is mine. And anyone left here plays by my rules._ "

* * *

Among those watching was Lucius Walrus, his eyes peering to the television screen to see what was going on.

"Excuse me, sir?" a female lynx interrupted. "Security is showing a break-in in the R&D Department."

Having learned of the sudden discovery, Lucius stood upright and left. When he entered the vastly-sized R&D division, accompanied by two suits, it was complete darkness, and not a single sign of any personnel was found. Of course, what the shadows did not account for was the behemoth flashing millions of tiny television screens, lighting the path with a mixture of blue and white. Without a word, Lucius signaled his suits to leave the division room; this was something he would have to do on his own. If he could think of one thing to ask, it would be whoever was crazy enough to expertly and carefully arrange such a strange device…

Then again, he didn't have to.

* * *

The Joker's public announcement continued, " _If you don't want to be in the game, get out now._ "

Across the city, thousands of animals began moving to grab what they could and evacuate Zootopia.

" _But the bridge and tunnel crowd are in for a surprise… Ha-ha… ha ha."_

The last line stopped everyone again, the fear creeping ever more into their hearts. As Moosebridge finished the report, the Joker's diabolical giggling resounded, and the clown himself turned the camera around, giving one last glimpse of his scarred face before the camera clicked off.

* * *

The sun set slowly on Zootopia, and as the light of day gradually died, millions were filing their way out of the city, now a broken shell. Helicopters flew overhead carrying the National Guard, sent in by the governor to maintain what semblance of order still existed. The main way out was the Zootopia Express railway, obviously crammed full of passenger lines. Armed troops helped keep the traffic flowing, albeit at a snail's pace, and helped stalled vehicles off the road. The stream of headlights slowly crawled its way out of Zootopia. The other way out of the city was by water. The river in the eastern section of the city had been carrying ferries all day, which were in turn carrying citizens, clutching whatever they could fit into a suitcase. The boats traveled up and down the river, shuttling refugees.

Amidst the wide-scale evacuation, Alicia Garnet walked across a sidewalk, her breaths coming slow. Following her escape from the hospital, she learned of the Joker's new threat. And now, she was on the run as well. Regardless of the impending danger, she was ever determined to reunite with Judy, to avenge her family's deaths, and to unveil whatever the clown had planned.

Alicia froze when the sound of an engine revved behind her. She turned to see what the commotion was about.

"Judy?!"

Her hopes were speared when a convertible car drove its way downtown. And she realized that the driver wasn't a rabbit, but a wolf. It was someone she knew very well…

"Woltz…" Alicia spoke the name of the corrupt police officer with contempt laced in her voice, her eyes sharp and penetrating. Michael Woltz was one among the officers in Precinct One under the Mob's payroll, under orders from Pappagello to dispose of the DA in exchange for large sums of money. That's when it all made sense. Alicia breathed heavily as her mind raced.

Everything had been perfect. She had a loving mother, a caring father, and three beautiful younger siblings. And now, they were dead. Things hadn't changed, though, when the Joker had entered the scene. He was turned loose by the Mob to discredit both her and Judy, even go so far as to break them from within. As soon as those two adversaries started working together, that's when everything went wrong.

Alicia slowly took the revolver from her dress pocket, and she began pursuing Woltz's car. The clown wasn't the only one she intended to exact revenge on.

Her debt lay with others.

* * *

With the sun setting outside, Woltz drowned his worries on a glass of root beer in a virtually abandoned tavern, him being the only customer. He was in the middle of taking another round when his patience ran thin with a tinkling reminder from the giraffe bartender.

"Hey, you're a cop, aren't ya?" the bartender asked. "Shouldn't you be out there, doing something? There's a whole mess of things outside."

"It's my day off," Woltz claimed, sipping a bit more of his alcoholic beverage.

"I gotta go take a leak," the bartender took his leave from the counter. "Keep an eye out for me, will ya?" He walked for the bathroom door, leaving the lazy detective to himself.

With his head slightly turned away, Woltz heard footsteps, and immediately assumed that the giraffe came back. "Now what? You're gonna get someone to shake it for ya?"

"Hello," a female voice greeted jovially. Woltz turned around to the counter, and was taken aback by the visitor's sudden appearance. It was Alicia Garnet, the left side of her face and dress reduced to ash, and her right eye obscuring an icy glare.

"Garnet?" Woltz breathed in disbelief. "Jesus, I though you was dead."

"Half," Alicia corrected. She took the glass, sipped some of the beer, and pointed her six-shot revolver straight to the heart. "Who picked up my family, Woltz?"

"I dunno," Woltz shrugged, genuinely (and ironically) unaware of whoever led the Garnets to their untimely demise. "It must've been one of Pappagello's—"

" **SHUT UP!** " Alicia bellowed, slamming her fist on the counter. "You were there in Critterland, and you picked me up!"

Woltz was startled, but frantically nodded his head, "Uh, yeah! I was there, and I picked you up."

Alicia nodded, "Yes, you did pick me up, only to leave me stranded to that warehouse, my parents and my siblings to another one. I've learned about how you became a part of the Mob's illegal dealings. Doing things to innocent animals that no one, not even God, should be doing."

Woltz raised his paws defensively, his eyes darting around helplessly. Even if he yelled for help, spread the word that the DA had gone insane, his voice wouldn't carry through the bathroom, where the bartender was still inside. His voice became shaky, "Look, we can be calm here. We can be reasonable animals."

Alicia's glare intensified, "Yes, we can be. And it's reasonable to show you why I'm angry. You've been under Pappagello's shoes since day one. Are you trying to tell me that your goody-goody act is gonna protect the other traitor in Precinct One?"

Woltz was running out of options. He pleaded for his life, "I don't know! Pappagello never told me! Listen, Garnet, I swear to God, I didn't know what they were gonna do to you!"

"Huh…" Alicia scoffed, brandishing her lucky coin. "That's funny…" She placed it and spun it across the table, "…because I don't know what's gonna happen to you, either."

The last two things Woltz saw were the coin landing on tails, and Alicia Two-Face, a rabbit bent on vengeance.

The last thing he heard was the sound of a gunshot.

* * *

In the R&D Department of Walrus Tech Enterprises, Judy Hopps stood in front of the mainframe blinking the stream of lights, her face sporting a proud smile. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Beautiful… Unethical…" Lucius breathed internally, his eyebrows raising in disbelief with the crafty work his young friend did behind his back. "Dangerous. You've turned every cell phone of Zootopia into a microphone."

"And a high-frequency generator receiver," Judy added. "I modified it into a satellite network, and it has the function to scan the whole city." She then chuckled, "The fact that I earned a degree on Computer Science, it's kind of my thing."

"I can't believe it," Lucius slightly argued. "You took my sonar concept and applied it to every phone in the city. With half the city feeding your sonar, you can image all of Zootopia." He shook his head, "This is wrong."

"I gotta find this guy, Lucius."

"At what cost?"

"The database is null-key encrypted," Judy stated. "It can only be accessed by one person."

"This is too much power for one person," Lucius grew skeptical of the computer's benefits.

"That's why I modified your computer, and I'm handing it to you," Judy replied. "Only you can use it."

"Spying on millions of animals isn't part of my job description," Lucius quipped.

Heading towards the mainframe, Judy displayed one of its useable features, "This is an audio set. If the Joker talks within range of any phone in the city, you can triangulate his position."

"I'll help you this one time," Lucius agreed reluctantly, though not unconditionally. "But consider this my resignation. I was about to hand over the company to my son, anyway. As long as this machine stays at Walrus Tech Enterprises, I won't be. It would be a disgrace to this company, and the tradition my family built for generations. I won't be a part of it."

"When you're finished…" Judy gave one last suggestion before retreating into the shadows. "…type in your name."


	25. Social Experiment

"Every Precinct in the city is looking over every inch of the tunnel and bridges, but with the Joker's threat, there are limited options," Commissioner Cluck discussed the city's current situation to Mayor Garcia in his office at City Hall.

Garcia wondered, "Can they head east?"

"It's locked up for hours," Cluck answered. "Which leaves only the ferries, with thirty thousand animals ready to board. Plus, I need to use some of the ferries to transport some of the prisoners off Zootopia Penitentiary."

"The animals you and Garnet put away, James?" Garcia rubbed his chin. "Those aren't people I'm worried about."

"With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, you should be," Cluck reasoned. "Whatever the Joker's planning, it's a good bet that Garnet's prisoners might be involved. It's a hunch that I want to get them out of here."

A brief moment, then Garcia broke the silence, "So where is Alicia Garnet?"

Cluck reported uneasily, "We haven't found her yet."

Garcia sighed agitatedly. He knew that the city's morale would plummet should anyone discover the district attorney disappearance. "Good Lord… How long can you keep this quiet?"

Cluck mused, "I don't think it won't be very long."

* * *

At a downtrodden part of the city, one of many spots where the criminal underworld was purported to thrive, or at least it used to until the Joker's threat, Salvatore Pappagello's birdcage was drifted by a grizzly bear to the passenger seat of his black limousine. The cast supporting his injured left talon was a painful reminder of underestimating a certain rabbit. The grizzly bear, who happened to be the chauffeur, positioned Pappagello's cage in the seat, before taking the front and staring the engine.

As the limousine drove, Pappagello gave instructions to his valet, "Don't stop for cops, lights, anything." Just then, he felt another presence the left side of his birdcage. He turned to see Alicia Garnet, the district attorney thought to have suffered a fate by fire, a revolver in her paw. "Garnet…?" Pappagello whispered, daring not to scream for help or dial a number, and instead maintaining a calm composure. "Hello, sweetheart. Can I help you with something?"

Turning her head to reveal her horrible scarring, Alicia asked, "You gonna join your family?"

Pappagello was somewhat smug in his words, "Yes."

"How many are there?"

"I have a wife, and three beautiful children."

"That's a lovely family of birds."

"I'm glad you think so."

"Do you love them?"

"Yeah."

"Do you imagine what it would be like…" Alicia quipped. "…to listen to them die?"

"Look, take it up with the Joker," Pappagello pleaded. "He killed your bunny bunch. He made you…" He gestured to the scars with his feathers, "…like this."

"The Joker's just a mad dog," Alicia retorted. "You turned him loose to catch me and Judy. I want to find whoever let him off the leash. I took care of Woltz, but who's your other guy in Precinct One, the one who picked up my family? Must've been someone they trusted."

"Look, if I tell you..." Pappagello besought. "…will you let me go?"

Pointing her weapon, Alicia rolled her eyes, "Can't hurt your chances."

Pappagello remained quiet, as if trying to think of a way out of this situation. He hoped that his confession would grant him safety from his vengeful adversary. He then revealed, "It was Ramirez."

Finally learning the identity of the traitor within the ZPD, Alicia cocked her revolver, which was still aimed at the crime boss, much to his dismay. "But you said—"

"I said it couldn't hurt your chances," Alicia countered. He flipped her coin and caught it on her free hand, covering it for a second. "You're a lucky bird." It was the clear side of the coin, sparing Pappagello from Alicia's wrath. She flipped a second time, with the coin landing on its burnt profile. "But he's not."

"Who?" Pappagello was curious of whom she was referring to.

Alicia fastened her seatbelt and aimed her revolver behind the driver's seat. "Your chauffer."

A gunshot rang out. The limo violently flipped over until it collided against the side of a building. The weight of steel crushed Pappagello's birdcage, and feathers spread from his innards.

The parrot didn't hear anything after that.

* * *

As night approached, tens of thousands of civilians hoarded Zootopia's waterfront, scores of the ZPD and National Guard doing their best to ensure that the populace would board the remaining ferries, without causing a scene. While several looters and thugs jailed under Alicia's jurisdiction were being led abroad one ferry, much of the city's citizens were naturally against this apparently unfair course of action. A cheetah protested, "Hey, that's not right! We should be on that boat!"

"You want to ride across with them?" retorted Officer McHorn. "Be my guest."

Though the process was hectic, the loading of civilians and prison inmates alike on the two ferries eventually came through.

* * *

It was around 8:00 PM when the two vessels purred out from the docks, beginning their exodus. A multitude of passengers huddled together, given that their respective boats had reached its maximum holding capacity without the risk of sinking them down under.

Both boats' engines died suddenly, and the lights flickered uncontrollably, slightly unnerving everyone.

In the cockpit of one ferry named the _Spirit_ , a walrus sailor informed the captain, "Sir, they've stopped their engines."

"Right, get on the radio," the captain commanded. "Tell them we'll come back to pick them up once we dump the scumbags."

The sailor proceeded to radio the other ferry, " _Liberty,_ this is _Spirit._ Come in." The only answer was static. Almost immediately, the boats' power was beyond the crew's control. They were convinced to contact the mainland for assistance, but their attempts proved fruitless.

* * *

Judy and Nick peered out from a nearby port, their legs resting on the seat of the Hopp-Pod. She communicated through a radio in her paw, "Lucius, there's something wrong with the ferries!"

* * *

As ordered by the captain of the _Liberty,_ the walrus sailor left for the engine room, passing through the crowd of inmates, including a muscular tattooed rhino named Ginty standing behind a support column. Upon arrival, he was confounded to have discovered scores of oil barrels wired with bombs, and it came with a small wrapped package atop one barrel.

Returning to the cockpit, the walrus informed the captain, "Sir, we've got a hundred barrels down there rigged to blow." He extended his arm to give the package, "And this."

Roughly around the same time, at the civilian-stocked ferry known as the _Liberty,_ a maritime soldier grizzly bear carried the same package. Both subordinates on the two vessels cautiously unwrapped the box-shaped presents, revealing a makeshift detonator inside.

"My God..." uttered the captain of the _Liberty._

The soldier reported, "It appears to be some kind of detonator."

"Why would they give us the detonator to our own bomb?" the captain asked rhetorically.

The boats' speaker systems crackled suddenly, and a familiar voice made the announcement. " _Ah, nice to have you all aboard the fun boats! Tonight, you're all gonna be part of a social experiment._ " The passengers grew frantic and alarmed of the terrible misfortune occurring to them. It wasn't long before the transport crew discovered that all communication systems were hacked, including the PA.

* * *

Meanwhile at Walrus Tech Enterprises, Lucius tapped away at the mainframe, trying to triangulate the Joker's location. Narrowing the amount of the computer's phone-tapping receivers, he relayed the clown's message: " _With the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate, I'm ready to blow you all sky-high. If anyone attempts to get off the boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat."_

Lucius informed, "I'm zeroing in. The voice is on the ferry... but it's not the source." He momentarily scanned the map of the city, until finally, after pinpointing the source of the message, the Joker's hideout was discovered within the white and blue, "West!"

That was the call that sent Judy and Nick to that direction across the open freeway.

* * *

Having just departed from City Hall, Cluck received a call on his cellphone. He answered, "Cluck here."

" _It's me,_ " Judy's voice called. " _We have the Joker's location: Pruitt Building. Assemble on the building opposite._ "

* * *

" _At midnight, I blow you all up,_ " the Joker's eerie message continued from somewhere in the Pruitt Building, an unfinished skyscraper near the shoreline. " _If, however, one of you presses the button, I'll let that boat live. So, who's it gonna be? Alicia's Garnet most wanted scumbag collection, or the sweet, innocent civilians? You choose! I'll give you until 12:00 noon to dedice. Just remember, we're gonna kick off tomorrow with one blast or another! Oh, and you might wanna decide quickly, because the people on the other boat may not be quite so noble!_ "

And with that, the Joker's announcement came to an end, sending both parties to a heated debate amongst themselves regarding the safety of their own lives at the cost of others. At the holding area in the _Liberty,_ the grizzly bear soldier motioned with his paws and demanded, "Stay back!"

An otter stood up from the crowd and argued, "Who are you to decide? We ought to talk this over, at least."

"Why do we all have to die?" a tigress of two cubs chimed in. "Those animals had their chances!"

"We're _not_ gonna talk about it," the soldier said adamantly.

The otter demanded, "Why aren't we talking about it?!" Dozens of complaints resounded throughout the boat.

"I bet they're talking about the same exact thing on the other boat!" a lion stated.

"Let's put it to a vote!" a beaver suggested. If not all, most of the civilians agreed with this proposal.

Similarly, at the _Spirit,_ the rioting inmates were held back from reaching the polar bear warden, who had the detonator in his claw, given that the officers discharged their shotguns into the ceiling to quiet the noises.

At the _Liberty,_ the grizzly bear soldier ripped a piece of hand-sized paper from a nearby compartment. "I want everybody to put their votes on this piece of paper." He tossed it to a cat, "If anyone's got pens, pass it along." This course of action apparently appeased the crowd of animals, and they willingly went through with it.

The clock read 11:43 PM.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the same tunnel in Tundratown where she last interrogated the phony officer the night after Chief Bogo's funeral, Alicia held a frightened Jennifer Ramirez at gunpoint. The female pig was overcoming her initial dread at having to face the angry bunny she failed to dispose of, even more so at her aggressive behavior. Nonetheless, with a little bit of persuasion, Ramirez was pressed to reveal why she left Alicia's family to die in that warehouse.

"…and Pappagello paid me to drop them at 250 52nd Street," Ramirez confessed. "He promised to pay my mother's hospital bills if I did."

Alicia rubbed the unscathed half of her chin, nodding in understanding. "I see. Did you do this to us because you didn't know what they were gonna do? Or it is because you're willing to?" She then glared, "Oh, that's right. It's because you're jealous of me, from the very beginning. Now I understand what you've been through. You've been out there hoarding money behind the law's back, associating with criminals under the shadows, because you only care about yourself."

Ramirez protested, "That's a lie! I care about others, too! Especially my mother!"

Alicia retorted, "If you really care so much, then why did you work for the Mob? Helped the Joker? You've been a friend of my mother, and she trusted you. I wanted to trust you. But I realize now, that trust has been misplaced. You should've followed the rules, listened to reason, and took my family out of that warehouse before it explodes, but you did not."

Ramirez snapped, "Shut up, you sick freak! I always hated you, Garnet… You and that smug face of yours! That's why I—"

Alicia deadpanned, "You've become no different than a mobster! You only wanted to help yourself! You yearned to satisfy your own greedy ends, can't you see that? Is this what your mother would've wanted?"

Ramirez argued, "I'm doing this for her! What do you know about her?!"

Alicia sneered, "Like I said, if you really care, you should've left the club and stayed in school. And to prove it, you need to tell me where the Joker is. I heard you're the only beat cop in Precinct One who knows the location of his final hideout, without telling anyone. Let me guess, he threatened to kill your mother if you do? You don't expect the Joker to keep his word? I don't."

Ramirez shook her head angrily, "I'll never tell you."

Alicia growled, inching the revolver close to the chest, "Don't play games with me, pork chop! You know where he is! Admit it!"

Ramirez obliged nervously, "Okay, okay! I'll tell you! The Joker's at the Pruitt Building in Savanna Central East. There, you happy now?!"

Alicia confirmed, "Thanks for the info."

Ramirez begged, "Please, let me go! Don't hurt my mother! I'm begging you!"

"Fair's fair," Alicia flipped her lucky coin into the air, and when she caught it, she saw that it landed on heads. "You live to fight another day, officer. Looks like you can get to see your mother check out from the hospital after all." With that, she pistol-whipped Ramirez to the ground, knocking her unconscious.

Alicia took an abandoned police vehicle and began to speed down the freeway in record time. On her left was a sea of cars trying to escape. In fact, hers seemed to be the only vehicle heading _into_ Savanna Central. She didn't mind that. Not at the very least. The look on Woltz's and Pappagello's faces just before they died still smoldered in her memory. Any qualms about the deed, though, were quickly consumed by Alicia's anger. At the moment, she had no concern about ethics or morals; she had put them aside. They were rules that no one around her seemed to follow. She felt no guilt about punishing those who had been accomplices, complicit in taking away the things she loved most.

Finally reaching Savanna Central, Alicia headed for Pruitt Building. She had a certain clown to settle the score with.


	26. Anarchy

11:50 P.M.

SWAT units lined up along the edge of the rooftop blocks away from Pruitt Building, setting their sights on the Joker's final hideout. The squad captain informed Commissioner Cluck, "Sir, we found the missing hospital bus."

"And we have a hostage situation," Cluck confirmed, and he used a pair of binoculars, setting the lens on the mask-wearing thugs barricaded by the windows. "It's a shooting gallery. Why would he choose a spot with such good windows?"

The squad captain filled in the loop, "We have clear shots on five clowns. Snipers take them out, smash the windows, a team repels in, and moves in by the stairwells. Two or three casualties: max."

Cluck nodded at the strategy, "Let's do it."

"It's not that simple, Commissioner. With the Joker, it never is."

A female voice sounded behind Cluck, and he turned to see Judy and Nick, their faces brimming with suspicion that the clown would throw some kind of metaphorical wrench into the equally metaphorical machine. Cluck raised an eyebrow, "Not that simple? What are you talking about?"

Judy glanced at the windows, "The clowns haven't even moved. Surely they can see us from there."

Nick suggested, "There's always a catch whenever we play games with the clown. Like she said, with the Joker, it's never that simple."

"I won't have my first day in office be marked with letting those people kill each other!" Cluck's voice was sharp, and it shocked the duo as he approached them. "What's simple is that every second we don't take him out, those people on the ferries get closer to—"

"That _won't_ happen!" Judy snapped.

"Then he'll blow _both_ of them up!" Cluck grew tense.

"We need five minutes alone!" Judy shouted insistently. "Give us time, please!"

"No! There's no time!" Cluck argued. "We have clear shots!"

Provoked to action, Judy and Nick stood at the roof's edge, preparing for their break-in. The police commissioner attempted to stop them, even pulling out his gun, but he dared not to shoot.

"Garnet is in there with them! We have to save Garnet! We all have to save Garnet!"

No answer. Instead, Judy fired a hook from her grappling gun, extending a wire between both buildings. She and Nick held on and glided their way towards the Pruitt Building. Cluck didn't say anything, momentarily at a loss for failing to stop his wildcard allies. He turned to the SWATS and ordered, "Get ready. Two minutes, then we breach." He then turned away frustrated.

* * *

In mere moments, a rabbit and a fox sliding down a rope made their descent to a one story-sized window frame, in the process, shattering the glass and knocking down a hapless clown thug, who uncharacteristically, unlike others, mumbled beneath his mask.

"Lucius, I need picture," Judy conveyed, and she put on a special set of goggles, letting her long ears slip through before attaching them to her eyes.

" _Okay, we have POV on Alpha, Omni on Beta. It looks like clowns and hostages on two floors. A SWAT team is on a stairwell, another on the roof._ "

Moving her head around, Judy instantly imaged the whole of the building, detecting silhouettes of SWATS, hospital hostages, and masked thugs in a mixture of blue and white.

Meanwhile, Nick could hear muffled words coming from behind the clown's face. "Strange. The moment we set foot in here, none of the clowns even pulled a trigger. Unless…" He then scrutinized the weapons the other clowns nearby wielded; they turned out to be blank of ammunition, duct-taped to their paws/hooves. "…they're not clowns at all." Cautiously, Nick took the edge of the mask in his paw and pulled it off. The clown's face that was revealed belonged to Peter Moosebridge, the reporter whose status as a hostage was made public earlier that day. The moose had wide eyes and a look of panic, as well as a strip of duct tape covering his muzzle.

"Carrots, the SWATS are targeting the wrong people!" Nick's mind raced as he reassessed the situation rapidly. "The clowns are the hostages!"

"Wait, what?!" Judy's eyes widened. "That means the doctors are actually the Joker's—"

At that moment, blasts sounded a floor below the duo, and yelling sounded as the SWATS began their raid, oblivious of the danger lying ahead. Fearing for the worst, Judy made a radio signal to Cluck, "Commissioner, this is Hopps! We're targeting the wrong people! The clowns are the hostages!"

* * *

"What the…?!" Peering through the windows, Commissioner Cluck realized a few seconds late that by the time the SWAT teams bombarded the floors, surprises were laid in store for them.

" ** _IT'S A TRAP!_** " Judy's voice cracked through Cluck's device.

And it happened!

Flashing mischievous grins, the doctors brandished their weapons and fired, the unsuspecting SWATS unable to escape the slaughter. If guns weren't plausible enough, they even activated booby traps, from flying spikes to explosive trap doors to poisonous gas. Within the confines of Pruitt Building, the SWATS were torn down in numbers, and the kill count increased.

"Dammit…" Cluck felt shaken to his core, and fear began to take root in his heart. The Joker knew they would come. He picked up his radio and desperately made a call, "All units, be advised! Pruitt Building is a death trap! We need reinforcements, on the dou—"

A loud noise stopped him from finishing his sentence. He and his associates were all interrupted by a blinding flash of red and yellow erupting from below the rooftop. Explosions began popping up from the asphalt surrounding Pruitt Building, consuming the reinforcing SWAT teams before they could provide backup. First the streets, then the avenues, and then the buildings. Soon, the entirety of Savanna Central was covered in volcanic pops. And then Tundratown. Sahara Square. The Rainforest District.

"No… It can't be…" Cluck stared fearfully at the scene.

It was at that specific, fateful moment in Zootopia's history that the city erupted in a sea of flames, tearing the ecosystems down the middle. This was but one of the fruits in the Joker's scheme; he dumped enormous amounts of gasoline in the sewer lines and water supply, the gunpowder secretly stashed in almost every infrastructure until it sparked. The sprinkler systems that once provided nourishing water to the trees in the Rainforest District was now replaced with fire, burning the greens to ash. Tundratown's polar icecaps were converted into a volcano, and within seconds, more than half of the district erupted like a volcano, the ash cloud consuming everything in its vicinity. Sahara Square, in an event mirroring the historic War on Terror, was scarred by detonation after detonation. The clowns, almost pushed to the brink of exhaustion, now rejoiced as they surged forward and pillaged as they pleased.

This was just as the Joker planned. From the safety of the Pruitt Building's top floor, he smiled in satisfaction. He had prepared for this moment. Every calculation was carried out with the upmost accuracy, every bomb, gas, and device placed with extreme precision, and every position was set to be wired at a moment's notice. The only ones spared from the fate of fire were the two remaining ferries, still drifting on the ocean. The game would be over soon by midnight, either way.

Zootopia, the world's greatest mammal metropolis, had been reduced a burning wasteland.

Welcome to a world without rules.

* * *

"Commissioner!" Judy shouted to her radio, both she and Nick impacted by the explosions rocking the entire city as well. "Are you okay?! Can you answer me?!"

" _I'm fine! Don't worry about me!_ " Cluck's voice responded. " _The Joker knew we were coming. He even knew we'd send in reinforcements! I should've listened to you…_ "

Judy worried, "But the streets and buildings… The whole city just… exploded!"

Cluck assured, " _No need to worry, Hopps. Orders have been issued earlier this afternoon, and all the citizens have been evacuated from Zootopia, except for the last two ferries, and they're still rigged to blow._ " His voice rose urgently, " _Time is short. You have to stop the Joker! If I can, I'll send any backup I have left!_ "

"Roger! Over and out!" Judy turned off her radio, and she turned to Nick. "Let's go!"

"Right behind ya!" Nick nodded. And thus, the two began their trek upward to the top floor of the Pruitt Building, by far the only place to have survived the explosions. With each floor they passed, they found the captive clowns and released them from captivity. At the same time, they kept an eye on the phony doctors, and before any could act, they swiftly knocked them down before pawcuffing them, leaving them to what remained of the police.

And in time, the Joker was within reach.

* * *

While both the city and the building tensed, the predicament regarding the two ferries had still not been resolved. In the _Spirit,_ the Nation Guard grizzly bear presented the results of the vote, "The tally is 964 with, 140 against."

"So go ahead!" a leopard passenger implored. "Do it!"

The captain of the _Spirit_ muttered, "We're still here, which means they haven't killed us yet either. And it's four minutes left…"

At the _Liberty,_ the muscle-bound Ginty stared at the rioting inmates, feelings of slight disgust made visible on his visage.

* * *

Just in time, a new SWAT team fortunate to survive the explosions had snuck into the Pruitt Building to deal with what remained of the Joker's henchmammals and traps. The captain relayed orders to his troops, "All right, orders from Commissioner Cluck. Clowns are hostages, doctors are targets."

* * *

The Joker stared at a view of the burning city, the crackling ash and smoke rising into the air, before he turned his head to see the river. Three Wild Dogs, the former pets of Pinguino, stood behind the jackal tied to a pipe. It was the presence of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilds that caught his attention. Turning again, the Joker turned to see his adversaries approaching him, their hearts burning with vigor.

"Ah, you finally made it! I'm so thrilled!" he said jovially. "And you brought your fox friend. The more the merrier."

"Where's the detonator?" Judy demanded.

The Joker knew where this was going. With a flick of his knife, the restraints were loose. "Go get 'em!" And the dogs charged forward, their teeth bared, with the intent of killing their targets. Standing their ground, Judy dispatched her Wild Dog easily, and Nick deftly sidestepped his and slit open a nerve. The last Wild Dog, however, made a surprise lunge and pinned Nick to the floor, his jaws snatched at his jugular.

"Hey!" Nick yelled, struggling to fight his adversary. "A little help, please?"

"I'm coming!" Judy went to pry the Wild Dog off her fox friend. It was difficult, though, trying to avoid hitting him in the process. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Joker take something from his pocket, pull the pin out, and toss it into the fight. The sound of hissing gas ensued, and a thick cloud of smoke appeared. And then, the Joker sprung forward from the fog, standing above the two.

A sharp blow from the crowbar in the clown's paw landed on Judy's chest, and then her head. Growling savagely, the Joker rained blows down on the fight indiscriminately. Judy, Nick, and the Wild Dog in his disposal, were all in his way, and all fair game.

Judy tried to focus her willpower between her paws for punching and pushing, and various points on her back and sides to defend herself. Finally, she was able to dispatch the Wild Dog off Nick and sent him flying off the broken stairwell. The Joker's crowbar still struck her over and over. She couldn't anticipate where the blows would land; they were so fast. She couldn't even manage to step away or get a look at the Joker; the blows came so quickly. Her sonar-vision goggles could barely get a glimpse; the blue and white just jumbled.

Finally, they stopped. Judy took the opportunity to stumble, and finally give her counterattack. That's when she saw Nick viciously juggling the clown's stomach and face. After enduring a few blows though, the Joker stunned the fox with pepper spray, blinding his eyes and causing him to scream in pain. He took the opportunity to pull out another small canister, pull the pin, and toss the hissing smoke can across the floor. The Joker turned to see Judy leaping for him with a vigorous cry. Reacting quickly, he raised the crowbar and smacked it across the face, slamming her to the floor.

As Judy recuperated from the unexpected defense, she felt another strike on her side.

" _Not good… I might just die here…!_ "

This might be the end.


	27. The Showdown

11:58

After minutes of contemplating, Ginty stood upright from his seat at the table and made his way to the polar bear warden. The guards surrounding him didn't move a muscle. Even the inmates fell silent.

"You don't wanna die, but you don't know how to take a life," the tattooed rhino's voice was low, cold, and gruff, but if anyone could hear it clearly enough, it sounded quite convincing. His eyes shifted to the detonator in the warden's trembling paw, "Give it to me; these men would kill you, and take it anyway."

The _Liberty_ was now standing between life and death.

* * *

In the confines of the _Spirit,_ the middle-aged otter did some contemplating of his own. "No one wants to get their paws dirty. Fine, I'll do it." Like Ginty, he stood up from his seat. "Those people on that boat, they made their choices. They chose to murder and steal. So it doesn't make any sense for us to have to die too." The assertive individual reached for the device in its container. One push, and dozens would die. But even more would be potentially saved. After all, the Joker claimed to be a jackal of his word: he may stretch the truth into fantastic angles, but ultimately, he wouldn't outright lie. And with this, a seemingly straight-forward claim, there was not a lot of stretching room.

* * *

The blow knocked Judy onto her side, and the Joker knelt down over her before she could get up again, his blade raised into the air. Judy twisted and kicked, awkwardly enough to not knock out the clown, but to send him reeling back. Frantically getting onto her feet, Judy looked around. The smoke screens obscured her vision; with her sonar-vision goggles broken in the ensuing battle, she was left vulnerable. She desperately turned to see something, anything.

Nothing. The grey clouds filled the room. Judy couldn't hear anything over the sound of the pumping blood in her veins, but still, she concentrated as hard as she could. She was getting weaker, she could feel it. Her willpower was getting used up in this extended brawl. Judy panted heavily, and then consciously clamped her mouth shut. She realized that sound would give her away. She titled her head to hear again.

The sudden growl came from her right, and before she could act, the crowbar connected with her jawline, the blow sending her flying through the air and towards the empty windowpane. Judy landed on the floor and rolled a few turns, afraid she was going to fall off the edge completely. However, she found herself on a piece of scaffolding, left over from the abandoned construction project. Before Judy could get up, the Joker kicked a piece of wood supporting one of the metal side panels, which slid down on top of the rabbit. He knelt down and leaned against the panel, pressing it down on top of her. In any other situation, she could've easily shoved the side panel back up. But now, having been beaten and tossed around so much, her strength was waning.

* * *

A floor below, the SWAT team was busy mopping up the last of the thugs.

"Floor secure! Hostages are safe! No fatalities reported. Prepare for final leg."

* * *

"Give it to me," Ginty continued his proposal to the warden, his voice growing slightly demanding and aggressive. "You can tell 'em I took it by force. Give it to me, and I'll do what you shoulda did ten minutes ago."

Pressed by the tattooed rhino, the polar bear warden reluctantly handed the makeshift detonator to Rafael. Just then, much to everyone's surprise and dismay, Ginty tossed the device out of the ferry's porthole, the object splashing into the water before it sizzled out. With that, he returned to his solitude amongst the crowd. Everyone present in the _Liberty_ watched with stunned silence and fear gripping their hearts, some lamenting over the likely fact that they would burn at sea.

* * *

The Joker leaned closer to Judy, keeping her pinned. She squirmed and struggled, but still found herself unable to push the panel away from her body. The Joker grinned, "Oh, Judy, we don't want to miss the fireworks display, do we? I'm saving the best for last."

Judy snarled defiantly, "There _won't_ be any more fireworks!"

The Joker pushed Judy's head down with one paw, so that the rabbit was forced to stare at the boats. "And here we…" He raised his other paw as if he was giving the signal, and waited eagerly for the fireworks to begin. Judy squeezed her eyes shut, praying that those fireworks would never sound again. "…go."

* * *

At the _Spirit,_ the otter held the trigger, his paw trembling. The breaths kept on heaving. His other paw came up and grasped the key. More breaths. A part of his mind urged him to pull the trigger and be done with it… but his fingers refused to respond.

The otter then shook his head, biting his lip as inner conflict raged. Was it necessary for an animal to stain blood on their hands? How would you face the families of those people on the boats? How would they see you? Would they see you as reckless or daring? Patient or indifferent? But above all, what would that make you?

The otter looked around at the herd standing around him, staring with their mouths slightly agape, to see if any of their fellow citizens would break.

"No… I can't do it..."

Slowly, the otter pulled the key out of the detonator. Suddenly, he flung the key, with an enraged growl, over the open porthole. He cast the now inert detonator with it. He stood, still trembling, then sat on the table, buried his face in his paws, and was silent. The rest followed suit in terms of acquiescence.

* * *

The Joker waited and waited. His paw still suspended in the air, waiting to orchestrate the last two fireballs that would blossom from the river.

They never appeared.

The smile slowly, painfully, leaked from the Joker's face. Judy felt the paw release her head, and she looked back upwards as the jackal glanced behind at a large clock hanging against the wall.

12:02 A.M.

The game was over. Everyone had won. Judy felt relieved inside. She smiled weakly, but when she saw the Joker's face, she saw something which took her breath away. For a brief second, the façade of giddy insanity cracked, and Judy saw aching fear in the clown's expression. Judy and her friends hadn't been broken. The police hadn't been broken. The citizens hadn't been broken. The prisoners hadn't been broken. And at that moment, Judy realized that the Joker had never met, and would never meet, someone, anyone who had the same values, the same ideas as him. The laughter, the madness, it was all a mask to comfort himself… to hide who he really was.

With a cocky smirk, Judy sought to use that weakness to her advantage. She mocked, "What are you trying to prove, clown? That deep down, everyone's as twisted and ugly as you?!" The Joker growled at that insult, and angrily cast the crowbar behind him. "How does it feel at the receiving end? That no one will ever follow the same path as you? Face the truth, Joker… You're all alone… Alone in a world where _no one_ will accept you!"

The Joker glared at the boats that refused to burn, and took a deep sigh. "You can't rely on anyone these days. You gotta do _everything_ yourself, don't we?!" The cracks sealed again, and the psychopathy returned in full force. He reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out a spare makeshift detonator. "It's okay, Judy. I always have a back-up plan." He pushed the key, and a beep sounded. The device was primed and ready. Judy's breath quickened as she prepared herself to act. "It's a funny world we live in. Speaking of which, do you know how I got these scars?"

"How about we talk about how I got MINE, instead!"

Another female voice sounded behind the clown. The Joker turned quickly, just in time to see a rabbit with a half-burned dress swing the butt of a revolver across the muzzle. He shouted in shock, and raised his paw to comfort his cheek.

That was all Judy needed. In a flash, she threw the side panel into the air, freeing herself, then held onto the Joker's collar and cast him off the edge.

"Woo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" the Joker's mad cackling echoed between the buildings as he plummeted towards the fire. In time, his body vanished against the crimson, leaving nothing behind.

Judy got to her feet and looked around dazedly, searching for whoever helped her throw the clown off the roof. As her vision cleared, she was surprised and relieved at the same time to find that Alicia Garnet gave her the assist. The district attorney had fled the scene of the Joker's detonation of the hospital, and given the state she was now, she was exhausted from the long trip up the stairs.

"Ali!"

"Jude!"

The two rabbits jogged, and right as they were close to each other, they hugged tightly, before they released.

Judy cried in relief, "Ali, I knew you'd come! I'm so glad you're okay."

Alicia chuckled, "Arrived just in the nick of time."

Judy quipped, "A couple of minutes ago wouldn't have been so bad, either. You weren't kidding about something dramatic. What have you been doing lately?"

Alicia cleared her throat, "I had a little chat with the traitors at Precinct One. Wanted to make sure they won't be churning out any more stunts like yesterday." She paused to let this sink in, "They won't be."

Judy crossed her arms and frowned suspiciously, "Wait a minute… Did you leave lives to chance AGAIN? Or did you just make your own luck?"

Alicia rubbed her head awkwardly. She confessed with a sigh, "Yes, I did. Given that the half of my coin and face are burned to hell, I had to do it. I can't make my own luck anymore." She paused and continued sincerely, "But you know I'm being honest. I'm trying to avenge my mom, dad, Andrew, Henry, and Elise."

Judy affirmed, "Yeah, I know what you've been through…" She fastened a paw around Alicia's shoulder and motioned, "Let's find Nick and meet up with the SWATs. We'll let everyone know that you're okay."

Alicia sighed in relief, "It's finally over… The Joker got what he deserved. My family can now rest easy. We better get going before something else happens."

Judy smiled, "Yeah. Let's go—"

A loud noise behind interrupted her, and a deafening bang drowned out the loud flames roaring over the city. A fireball flew over the top of Pruitt Building, but Judy and Alicia couldn't see what was happening from the blinding light.

" **SURPRISE!** "

When the fire surrounding the ball cleared, the Joker emerged from the smoke, his body glided in the air by a jetpack fitted with miniaturized guns. The two couldn't believe that the clown made an unexpected comeback from the fire.

"It's time we play our final party game," the Joker announced evilly, pulling the lever and brandishing the miniguns. "Pin the tails through the bunnies!"

"How did he… Agh!" Judy collapsed on one knee, the wounds inflicted by the Joker still smarting, and her strength was beginning to feel exhausted. Now she stared wearily, in disbelief, at the clown determined to finish his work. Something inside screamed and told her to get herself and Alicia out of the way, but she lacked the power necessary to move or do anything. Death was just a minute away…

The Joker fired. The bullets flew.

" **LOOK OUT!** "

A frantic scream sounded, and Judy jerked her head up to see Alicia rushing between her and the volley.

The two rabbits collided, and one of them was sent over the left side.

The other wasn't as fortunate.

Alicia's body fumbled and scrambled, thirty bullets piercing her squarely through the chest. Her face froze, her eyes widening in shock. Judy saw the look on her friend's wasted, once-beautiful face as she collapsed into the stairwell, tumbling down the steps until she plummeted to a floor below. The Joker's triumphant cackle roared, but Judy didn't hear it. Not when she witnessed the fruitless attempt.

Alicia lay there, not moving.

" **AAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLIIIIIIIIIII!** "

The volume rose in Judy's horrified voice than it had ever increased before, at the mention of her beloved friend caught in the gunfire.

The Joker paused, and glanced at his targets with curiosity; one shot down and the other left standing. He said, "I never expected Ali Baba to make a dramatic entrance." He then shrugged, "Oh, well! I was about to get rid of her, anyway!" With his jetpack, he floated over to a distraught Judy. "We both know how the party ends, Jude."

Her neck was grasped in his paw, his other raising a steel potato peeler.

"You'll just have to imagine the ratings…!"

" **HEY, CLOWN!** "

A loud voice emanated from the darkness, and Nick stepped into the light, having recovered from the pepper spray in his eyes.

" **CHEW ON THIS!** "

With a rock in his paw, he threw it directly at the jetpack's flight systems, causing the device to spur with electricity. The clown, baffled at the fox's retaliation, was hoisted into the air by his malfunctioning jetpack until he reached the ceiling.

 **BANG!**

The Joker was bonked on the head, the jetpack slipping from his shoulders and flying off by itself out of the building. He collapsed to the ground, groaning at the intense pain the ceiling dealt him with. Holding his head and shaking it, the clown stared groggily back, his body refusing to budge as a sign of surrender. It stayed that way until Nick had come over to Judy's aid.

"Carrots, are you alright?" Nick asked concernedly, the image of his beaten and distressed rabbit girlfriend flashing before his eyes. "Carrots!"

"I have to…" Judy wheezed, using her remaining strength to stand up. "I have to help her… I have to… save Ali…"

"Ali?" Nick raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"There's no time…!" Judy groaned, picking up the dropped crowbar and using it as a support beam to stand back up. "I have to help her… She needs help…" She treaded for the stairs, her strength slowly recovering, all for the sake of her childhood friend.

Nick crossed his hips, "I don't know what's her deal, but it's a relief she's still breathing. A few bruises, but hey… She suffered worse." He glanced at the Joker, "I think we're done for the night. We'll let the legal system run its course."

The Joker was gradually gaining his focus back, and titled his head up. He began to giggle, and the fox turned his attention to him. "Oh, you done good, Fox Boy. You done good."

"Just so you know, I'm full of surprises," Nick smirked. "This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object."

"I was about to say the same thing, Mr. Wilde," the Joker inquired. "Your girlfriend truly is a fluffy little saint, isn't she? She couldn't bring herself to kill me, and you didn't kill me also, out of some misguided sense of a noble, self-righteous conscience… and I won't kill her… because she's just too much fun. A lofty goal, really, for a fox, a rabbit, and a jackal, like myself." He paused for effect, "I think you and I are destined to do this forever."

"You'll be in a padded cell forever," Nick scoffed. "And instead of going to jail, you're going to the asylum."

"Of course, you did let most of the city blow up, and a lot of cops are dead… But heck, I'm sure the people will still love you!" the Joker quipped. "That is, until their faith is shattered completely."

"Say whatever you want, it won't change a thing," Nick said confidently. "This city just showed you that it's full of animals ready to believe in good."

"Oh, sure, sure," the Joker rolled his eyes with a smile. "Anyone can be a hero. But don't think it'll always be that way. There are always freaks like me."

"So what?" Nick retorted. "As long as there's a freak, there's a hero."

"Well, in that case, the party's over. And you've won. I've played by the rules so far," the Joker admitted. "You and your friends can do whatever you want in the after-party. But how do you think they'll celebrate…" He licked his lips, "…when Alicia Garnet's blacklisted? Which I did just now."

Every muscle froze in Nick's body at the sound of the district attorney's name. Judy's injuries, her desperation, and the clown's jetpack, it all made sense. He realized exactly what that meant. "What did you do…?"

"Oh, it wasn't hard. All I had to do was make a wish, and blow the candles out of the cake! You better hurry now, Nicky!" the Joker's chuckle intensified. "As we speak, the cavalry's coming up to check on the condition of Zootopia's White Knight. It won't be long before somebody takes a good look, and the rest will follow, and I don't think it'll be peace on Earth!"

And with that, the Joker broke into a final laugh, a long, drawn-out cackle of pure evil. As Nick ran down the stairs, the SWATs came up, drawn by the sight of Zootopia's most treacherous criminal. The Joker continued to cackle, even as the gun barrels were all trained on him. He just clutched his sides and rolled around laughing, at Judy, at Nick, at the police, at the burning city, and at the world.

Because it had all been one complete joke.


	28. The White Rabbit

Having recovered enough sufficient strength, Judy ran down the staircase, and Nick followed behind after her. Judy stooped down over Alicia, her front body lacerated with bullet holes, and blood seeping to the floor from those tiny circles. "Ali! Ali, are you alright?!"

Letting out a choking gurgle, Alicia slowly turned her head to Judy, and flashed a bloodstained smile from her unscathed profile. "Judy…"

"Ali…" Judy held Alicia's paw tightly, desperation enforcing her grip. "Hang in there. We're gonna get help—"

"No…" Alicia's other paw grabbed hold of Judy's arm. She stared back in quiet, pleading defiance. "Stay."

"Don't waste your energy talking, Ali," Judy insisted. "We gotta take you to a hospital."

"No…" Alicia shook her head, refusing to budge. "This is my choice… It's better than doing nothing… and let the Joker have his way. It's okay… I… I did it. I couldn't save my family, but I saved you. I did it. I did it…"

"Just… Just hold on…" Judy's voice began to crack, and water shined in her eyes. "We'll…"

"Judy… Promise me…" Alicia's right profile shined with wet as well. She weakly raised her paw, and it began to envelope a warm embrace around Judy's cheek. "As a friend… you have to promise me… Take my place. Promise me you'll protect the city. Tell Jason… I'm sorry…"

"Ali…" Judy felt weak as she collapsed to her knees, and she let out a sob as the tears flowed.

With a quiet gasp, Alicia slowly lifted her head and stared with a glimmer of hope and resolution.

"You… are Zootopia's White Rabbit. You're our protector, our hero, our knight. You're our hope for the future. They look to you. Take care of them."

The eyes then shifted with comfort.

"I'll see you soon, Judy. I'm glad… I've been through it all with you to the end… You're my best friend. Never forget. That's the truth. Take care of them… Promise me."

She finally let her head fall back. Her blood pooled around her, and the last flames slowly died from her eyes.

"Promise me…"

Those were the last breaths of Alicia Garnet, before her paw fell limp against the floor. Her face flashed one last smile, finally at peace. Judy then realized that all her efforts to restore her friend to health had been for naught. A horrible sob clenched her throat, threatening to strangle her. She clutched Alicia's lifeless paw with one paw, and her face with the other. Nick just stood beside her, watching the final tragedy in silence.

"The Joker ruined everything," the fox shook his head, speaking to no one in particular. "Alicia's famous prosecution, everything she fought for… undone. The dream team of two Carrots was supposed to be our chance to fix our city, make it even better." He glanced down at the weeping Judy, and smiled weakly, "I guess we're not going to have an ordinary life in the city with you around." He ruffled Judy's ears, which drooped as the statement was processed.

"There she is! It's Officers Hopps! Go! Go!" the voice of an officer cried, and he and the rest of the SWATs sprinted to the scene. And they found a dead body.

The former district attorney, long thought to be missing.

She was hoisted away.

* * *

 **SIX MONTHS LATER…**

Time had passed since the bliss of Zootopia had been shattered by the criminal mastermind known as the Joker. Now that he had been brought to justice by Officer Hopps, the city was saved, and would thrive again. The once great mammal metropolis sported the scars of a war more terrible than had ever been seen, even in the city's turbulent historical times. The ecosystems stood bleak against blue skies, the streets stood blackened and charred, and buildings sported different degrees of damage: some suffered only a few broken infrastructures, and others had been reduced to piles of rubble and ash.

The extraordinary sacrifice made by the city's greatest heroes was not lost on citizens, hence explaining why those past six months were spent on reconstructing their beloved city to its former glory. Now that the Joker was brought to justice, his reign of terror was declared over, and the people set about to rebuild their lives. Countless lives were lost, but their names were made into memories and were never forgotten. And even through the noble sacrifice of the late district attorney, animals everywhere were granted the inspiration to make their own differences the way Officer Hopps did. As such, Zootopia was able to heal from the scars of those fateful days.

In the morning that day, there was one last funeral service. It attracted a large audience, and Judy Hopps stood at the podium in full uniform. Pictures of Alicia Garnet dotted the display at the front. Among those attending the service were Judy and Alicia's closest friends, including the Hopps family. All had worn mostly black and dark clothing.

Zootopia's bravest hero was in the midst of finishing her eulogy.

"…Alicia Garnet was a hero. Not the hero we deserved, but the hero we needed. She was my friend, the best I could ever ask for. Ali, I'm going to miss you. We all will." A brief pause, and her lips curled into a soft smile, "I know you're watching us now, making the world a better place. You're watching us make the city prosperous and happier than before. It's something you wanted the whole time. Your last wish."

The coffin was lowered into the plot. Flowers were littered into the dirt. The five graves to the left each held the remains of a married rabbit couple, and three young rabbits. With this final act of respect, the service was officially complete, and Judy and her friends departed from the gravesite. The only one remaining was Jason Dawes, letting out all his grief and sorrow over his last remaining treasure. He heavily sobbed in front of the fresh gravestone of Alicia Garnet, standing next to her mother's, her father's, her little brother's, and her two little sisters'.

"I'm so sorry, Red. I failed to save you. You trusted me, and I trusted you. But I didn't save you."

Jason kept on weeping as the paw of Mayor Garcia touched him. A few minutes of mourning, and the mayor spoke, "I'm sorry about Alicia. She is your girlfriend, right? I know what it's like to lose someone you love."

"I didn't lose her," Jason shook his head. "She was stolen from me. The Joker killed her." He threw a dark glance at Garcia. Tearmarks still stained his face, but any other trace of sadness had disappeared. His voice then rose to a growl, "Crime doesn't deserve to live. One day, I'll make them pay. I swore on Alicia's grave, they will all pay."

"Well, Assistant Attorney?" Garcia asked. "Should I change your mind about resigning?"

Jason replied, "Laws and prosecutions are no longer enough to keep us safe. Truth and justice can't work together and wound up as shackles. I can't take it. I can't stand being limited by the law anymore." He promptly glanced at the morning sun, "Crime had to be stopped at all costs."

"I know," Garcia nodded. "The best in the ZPD are doing what they can. And of course, our hero, Officer Hopps."

"No, they don't," Jason was disgusted by the mayor's comment. "They let criminals go to jail, knowing too well they could easily break out and steal and kill over and over again! Alicia and I, we put away all those criminals." His anger grew, "I don't follow that cause anymore. Imagine that, the hypocrite who believes he's doing the right thing by promoting a city that wasn't perfect to begin with, yet he kept crime unchecked. It's over, Mr. Mayor. I can't be a part of it anymore."

Garcia wondered, "You're not talking about using the same vigilante-type methods as Hopps, are you?"

Jason snapped, "I am NOTHING like Hopps! She is nothing more than a delusional rabbit that the force should not have allowed to join. It's because of her, everything I love was gone!"

Garcia tried to be comforting and correcting as possible, "Hopps didn't do anything, Jason. You know that. It was—"

Jason refused to shift the blame, "Only because of Hopps. When she joined the ZPD, that's when everything went wrong."

"Jason, please. Listen to—"

" **NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME!** " Jason roared, and the outburst startled Garcia. He pointed his right finger. The words were now spat with contempt bitterly laced into them. "I put myself in the line of fire to protect Alicia. I wouldn't have had to do that if you hadn't fired Hopps from the force. I did everything I could, but you did not."

"Why blame it on me? It was the Joker, not her!" Garcia insisted adamantly. "Hopps is not evil. Though her methods are either sufficient at best or controversial at worst, she doesn't attract evil. She's a hero."

"She's a vigilante! A rule-breaker!" Jason argued. "No creature deserves the amount of honor you've given to that horrible rabbit."

"Zootopia needed a hero," Garcia remained calm. "That's why we need her to stop the Joker."

"And you did!" Jason spat. "He was finished, and you knew it! So why didn't you remove her from the police department?"

Garcia paused, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to respond. Finally, he gave his answer, and the calmness in his voice remained. "Like I said, we needed a hero. We hadn't made it this far without her help, and I'm not giving up on her."

A shake of Jason's head replied to him. "I won't believe that. I won't accept it." With that, he left for his car, trembling with pain and hatred. "I won't."

Garcia only stared in silence.

* * *

Several hours later, Judy was once again in her office in the repaired headquarters of Precinct One, a picture frame of Alicia fixed on her desk to commemorate her, as she typed on her desk, companied by Nick who sat beside her. The mournful faces who had greeted Alicia only hours before were now replaced with comfort and relief, acknowledging that everything had gradually returned to normal.

Sighing with relief, Judy stopped typing and said, "Well, Zootopia's not so bad now, especially since we just fixed things up there."

Nick chimed in, "Yeah, it's like we saw the future. Through all the fire and rain, it sent us there, like magic."

Judy smiled, "I know one thing for certain. Despite everything thrown at us, we can't forget what makes us strong. It's never too late to make things better. Crime is strong, but that doesn't mean we can't be strong too. And it doesn't mean evil is stronger than good." She added with a shrug, "Sure, life is much harder than a slogan on a bumper sticker, as I mentioned before, but we have to try, even if it takes our very best." She glanced at Alicia's picture, "Alicia did the same thing. She chose to be the best of herself. She believed this city is meant for great things. And when the day came, somebody's shoulders would have to bear the weight."

Nick chuckled, putting an elbow on her shoulder, "Well, I hope your bosom bunny watches from somewhere."

Judy assured, "She saw it, Nick. Believe me." She raised her paw and caressed the elbow, "Alicia's at peace now. We're in for one heck of a safe, optimistic city."

 **CAUTION TO ALL READERS: Judy x Nick Alert!**

She suddenly gasped as she felt Nick messaging her chest, his tongue licking the fur across her cheek. Judy's response was a startled laugh, "H-Hey! What are you doing?!"

Nick breathed seductively, "We only have an hour before the honoring ceremony at City Hall, so let's make it count."

Half a minute, and Judy realized that he was right. She turned her chair around and faced him with a sly grin. "Yeah. Let's make it count. My sly fox."

Nick knelt down to her level and wrapped his arms around her bosom, "My white rabbit."

And at this moment, the two leaned their lips for a heated kiss, their paws beginning to roam their clothing.

* * *

 _"_ _It is my honor and privilege to bestow these medals to our very own, Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde!"_

 _Camera flashes and applause in front of City Hall followed Mayor Garcia's announcement. Commissioner Cluck, the Hopps family, and close friends from Bunnyburrow joined the celebratory gestures, taking great pride of the rabbit officer's extended career. The ceremony came to a close with Judy and Nick, standing at attention, having their blue uniforms pinned with medals for their exceptional performance and remarkable feats in at last ending the Joker's anarchy. Alicia would be proud._

* * *

As they continued to kiss, Nick's paws roamed around Judy's torso, touching her exposed fur on her abdomen and back. Judy's paws responded by moving to Nick's uniform, unbuttoning it, and slid it off his shoulders along with his tie. Running her paws over his shoulders and chest, Judy grew hotter and antsier. She grabbed the buttons on her Kevlar vest, but since Nick's hand was already there, he took the liberty to unbutton them before sliding off her vest, leaving her in her sleeved blue uniform.

Slowly and casually, Judy lowered herself onto her back on the chair, pulling Nick on top of her. The kissing continued, never breaking as they took turns kissing lips, muzzle, and neck.

* * *

 _Jason was inside Alicia's abandoned office, pouring gasoline all over the place to demonstrate his new commitment to justice. He was leaving the past behind, doing what was necessary not just for himself, but for the collective good._

 _Tossing a lighter, he cast one last glance at the last vestiges of the city's former district attorney— in his opinion, the true hero of Zootopia— before he turned away and disappeared into the night._

 _But it was not before tossing a picture of Judy Hopps into the fire, a rabbit he now had a hatred for._

 _The office ended up razed to the ground._

* * *

Straddling Judy, Nick unbuttoned her uniform and tossed it aside, leaving both of them topless, their furs rising with excitement. Slowly and gently, the fox pulled the rabbit up towards him and kissed her, placing his paws on her shoulders, gently rubbing them. With ease, he trailed his kisses down to her neck as one paw moved to her lips, allowing her to suck and lick his fingers like a lollipop.

With the intention of lowering her back down slowly, Nick misjudged his strength, and sent both him and Judy flying off the chair. She clutched onto him as his back hit the floor, and she couldn't help but laugh. The two kissed again, both rolling onto their sides across the floor, as each paw caressed each fur. Once her paw got to the top of his pants, Judy unbuckled the belt, undid the button, and unzipped the zipper. Before she could finish, Nick paws travelled to find and undo her belt. The belt took a bit longer than expected, but once it was undone, he was able to get to the button and zipper, and easily undo both.

* * *

 _In Walrus Tech Enterprises' R &D Department, Lucius Walrus typed his name on the mainframe. He departed with a smile; the machine's fail-safe function was put in effect— self destruction._

 _His work was now done. He had helped complete Judy's mission. This was his last support, and his last day in the company he ran, and his ancestors before him._

 _He had no regrets._

* * *

And there they were, devoid of clothing. Nick took charge and grabbed Judy's arms, leading her to sit on his lap. The rabbit hugged the fox around his neck and began to kiss it before returning to his lips. The two sat on that very same floor, their tongues moving in rhythm with their muzzles, their bodies dancing, and their clothes sprawled on the floor. That intimate moment was a reminder that whenever fear comes around, there is always hope. And Judy Hopps was that hope— Zootopia's remaining hope for the future. A valiant guardian. A watchful protector. A white rabbit.

What Judy and Nick did not account for was the mischievous dispatcher Benjamin Clawhauser, who secretly recorded the hot scene from an open window with his iPhone.

"I'm enjoying every minute of this… and I'm not telling anyone about it."

* * *

 **ELSEWHERE…**

The Joker, his purple suit now replaced with constraints, was now trapped inside a solitary cell, specifically made in a maximum security prison in the outer reaches of Zootopia. He sat in the warm white, his back against the wall, and his eyes darted around his new surroundings. The clown remembered everything that had brought him to this moment. Every opportunity, every deed, and every act that happened in the past and present, it was all done for what he believed in. He was clearly amazed at how the effort, the planning, the insanity, the anarchy… how it all failed so spectacularly at the hands of a rabbit who became his greatest enemy.

Did it?

The Joker nonetheless kept flashing his bizarre grin, as if he had orchestrated another elaborate plan. Assuming that he had a new one.

Just then, the door buzzed, and in came a female jackal, a psychiatrist sent to evaluate the status of the former criminal mastermind. She wore a white former doctor's jacket with an ID tag, a white button-up shirt, black pants, and simple red heel shoes. Her fur was yellow and neatly trimmed, her eyes were framed with round glasses, a dull tin color in the frames, and a sketchpad was gripped in her left paw.

"Mr. Joker, is it? May I call you Mr. J?"

"Yes, of course," the Joker replied coolly, his gaze now fixed on the psychiatrist. "Any name you like, sweetie."

"My name is Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzil, M.D. You can call me Harley. I've been sent to evaluate you," the female jackal introduced herself, her pupils focusing on the Joker with keen interest. "I'd _love_ to know more about you."

"Oh, but of course," the Joker chortled. "I can't wait to share my secrets with someone I never met."

The prison door shut tight, thus commencing the interrogation between the two. Whatever outcome was made at the end of it all, no one could guess.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** _Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're done! Congratulations for yet again, another successful crossover fic!_

 _I bet you're wondering why I decided to leave behind a little cliffhanger with the Zootopia version of Joker and Harley Quinn. This completed story,_ _ **The White Rabbit,**_ _is the first installment of my imagined_ _ **Zootopia DC Extended Universe.**_ _That's right, you can expect more entries in the passage of time. Is anybody in the club pressing me to continue? Only time and opinion can tell! P.S., Judy Hopps is not the Batman from_ _ **Dawn of Justice.**_ _She's a completely different Batman, not the one trying to kill Superman. Whatever way he's killed off by Doomsday, I'll explain it differently in another time. Anyway, time for the news!_

 _My current/future projects: I was about to go back to my_ _ **Fairy Tail's Disney and Pixar Parodies,**_ _but considering my brain's been storming with bigger plans, you never know what you're going to expect next! I can consider making a crossover between Fairy Tail and my number one video game series of all time, Kingdom Hearts, starring Wendy or Romeo as the Keyblade master with Donald and Goofy at their side! I'm calling that crossover: **Fairy Hearts!** What do you think?_

 _Please leave a message and any suggestions on what my next story should be. And be sure to follow and fav my stories. Merry Christmas, everyone! And a happy new year! This is TheSavageMan100, signing out!_


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